The Gates of Chaos
by AnimeMaster24
Summary: After Alucard's defeat, remnants of Fairy Tale join with rogue Angels and Devils to plunge the world back into chaos. Amidst the tragedy, Tsukune meets Issei Hyoudou, a boy with a harem of his own, who turns out to share more with him than they could imagine. Can these unlikely friends help each other sort out their feelings and protect the ones they love? TsukuneXHarem IsseiXHarem
1. A Fleeting Peace

**Chapter 1: A Fleeting Peace **

Disclaimer: I do not own _Rosario + Vampire_ or _High School DXD_. This story is made purely for fun, not profit.

Tsukune Aono shunted backwards as his opponent's fist smashed the wall behind him, trying to catch his breath as a kick collided with his shin. The blow sent him sailing through the air, his resistant body hitting the ground repeatedly with a series of bone-shattering cracks. It was only his first week of intense training with a true master, yet the man's fighting skill and phenomenal power were easily on par with the enemies who had come close to taking his life some months ago. After the fall of the criminal syndicate Fairy Tale, Youkai Academy had entered a time of celebration that everyone wished would last forever.

Unfortunately, the demise of Alucard and the three Dark Lords had created a dangerous power vacuum in the underground world of monsters, and the biggest target was bound to be Tenmei Mikogami's successor. Tsukune never imagined that he would be forced to accept such a responsibility, but here he stood, looking down from the top of a mountain he hadn't even known existed a few years back. It was a terrifying prospect, but Issa Shuzen was teaching him so that he could be able to protect the school from assassins that would no doubt be coming for him soon. It was the fate of a person who had pledged their life to keeping world peace.

The newly christened Shinso stared into the skies of Mikogami's "paradise" as these thoughts floated across the surface of his mind, quickly snapping back to reality as a familiar hand seized him by the back of his neck and tossed him into a field of boulders. His stiff body smashed clean through one of the rocks, causing chunks of stone debris hurtling into the air along with a light cloud of dust.

"Letting your guard down in the middle of a battle can lead to a premature death." Moka's father caught a rock in his hand and crushed it into pebbles with a squeeze, his calm demeanor sending a small chill down the boy's spine.

The elder man noticed this, realizing that for all of Tsukune's accomplishments, he was still a boy. In a way it was admirable that the former human had managed to endure so much horror and emerge without any serious mental damage, although it also proved that he had a lot to learn before accepting the monumental responsibility that would one day be his. In addition to this, he could not possibly entrust his daughter to someone who lacked the power necessary to protect her. To a vampire, this was one of the most important things in potential mates.

"Stand up." he ordered in an even yet firm tone, eliciting a low groan from his student.

"Working on it..." the injured teen replied through grit teeth. Tsukune gathered his bearings before removing the giant slab holding him down, hurling it several meters away with a one-handed toss and a bewildered blink.

"I see you haven't grown accustomed to having so much power. Not so surprising, considering you were once an ordinary human."

"In a way, I still consider myself to be human." he answered with a cheerful smile. "Humanity is something that I would never give up, unless there was no other choice."

Issa Shuzen's eyes widened menacingly, causing his apprentice to shrink back. "Are you saying there's something wrong with being one of us!?" he leered directly into the boy's pupil.

Tsukune shook his head rapidly before wiping the sweat from his brow, gently snapping his shoulder back into place in an attempt to relax. "I'm sorry if you misunderstood me. It's got nothing to do with that... Just that I take pride in my humanity, the same way any monster takes pride in who and what they are." he replied sheepishly. "I am who I am regardless of how I look, or what I can do."

The boy prepared to receive another blow, but was surprised when Moka's father wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "That is certainly true..." he replied, stepped past his future son-in-law so that they were back-to-back. "The reason my daughter fell in love with you is because of who you are, not the circumstances of your family. Such a thing was always irrelevant to her."

"You really understand, then?" the younger man slowly turned to face his teacher, only to find Issa staring him down once more.

"Several of my brethren throughout the ages have focused on purity of bloodlines within vampire clans, only allowing their children to marry those of the highest birth. They viewed the blood of other creatures as an insult to vampire pride, thus the laws of our people state that only one of our own is a suitable mate."

Tsukune recalled the time he met a monster pretending to be a male vampire in order to claim Moka as his own. The imposter had cited this part of their species doctrine to dissuade the Newspaper Club from trying to help her, and yet Inner Moka had managed to expose his own hypocrisy by dismissing the rule as relic of the past while besting the phony in a heavily one-sided battle. At the time he had been relieved to hear this, but listening to her father's tale brought back painful memories from that encounter.

Issa casually placed a cigarette in his mouth, using his opposite hand to light it. "I take it you've heard this story before now?" he glanced down at the younger man.

"Once..." he replied dismally, his gaze lost in memories. "Though, Moka claims that no one follows the rule anymore."

"Many of the younger generation do not heed the old ways... Even so, the Shinso is the ultimate creature in the world of monsters, and you possess not only its power, but also that of the revered Shuzen Clan." he took a moment to exhale, trails of smoke wafting away with the wind. "My four daughters are free to marry any worthy man regardless of bloodlines. I too judge people by the strength of character, not the size of his wealth, or the glory of his ancestry."

Tsukune felt the atmosphere lighten considerably despite having already received the elder vampire's approval during their previous meeting. "Glad to hear it!" he blurted out, nervously realizing the casualty of his tone.

To his surprise, Issa pat his shoulder again. "There are still many who stick to the old ways, but it should not be up to the parents to decide their children's fate. I decided this after seeing the irreparable damage such foolishness can cause."

Despite having admonished the Aono boy earlier for allowing his mind to wander, he found himself remembering his own wife's treatment of their daughters, his thoughts returning to Kalua. She had been such a sweet girl, but Gyokuro had taken advantage of that to turn her into a cold-blooded killing machine. Their family had made a career taking jobs that required the touch of an assassin, yet seeing what she became made him question forcing such a life on her, one of the many regrets that he was hesitant to speak of due to his pride as the family head. Even so, he vowed not to make the same mistakes with his other daughters.

The young Shinso dusted off his clothing before hesitantly striking a fighting stance despite every aching bone in his body screaming otherwise. "I really messed up earlier. Should we start this over again?"

"Once more." Issa nodded in agreement, the two men returning to the center of Mikogami's field.

The monstrous aura blazing from the two vampires kept most of the resident creatures at bay, although their presence added an extra challenge that made training here all the more convenient. Tsukune had been terrified during his first time in the "paradise", but he had come to accept it as a crucial part of his regimen.

Without warning, the elder monster closed the gap and thrust his hand forwards like a knife stroke, forcing the teenager to shield himself by protecting the center. Tsukune focused all of his power on that single spot and moved his hands in a clapping motion, catching his attacker's fingertips in the middle and pressing outwards to stave off the attack.

"You read my attack speed and chose to block it. I can say you picked the correct response."

"I couldn't dodge it, so I did the next best thing!" Tsukune buckled slightly as his opponent bore down, jumping back as he penetrated his guard with sheer force. Despite lacking the Jigen-Tou, the older man's power was equal to that of his eldest daughter.

For the umpteenth time since the training began, the young student found himself outmatched by his teacher, being forced to retreat and guard just to stay in the fight. In their earlier sparring matches Tsukune had tried clashing with him head on with disastrous results, but more recently, he had taken a more tactical approach to counter the difference in their experience. Issa had a habit of teaching through experience rather than words, which made things painful to say the least. If it weren't for Ruby's immediate medical treatment after each session, it would've been an unbearable strain on his body.

Tsukune ducked another blow and continued backing away, propelling himself upwards with a downwards kick to avoid getting pushed into a corner like last time.

"Taking into account your surroundings and planning accordingly... It seems you have learned something." the Shuzen patriarch surmised, noting the stone walls littering the field.

A shadow of satisfaction flashed across the master's face, but another lesson was needed. Instead of imitating the boy's move to catch him midair, Issa tore a slab from the nearby ruin, heaving it at his opponent's airborne body. Unable to properly counter, Tsukune shuddered as the wind was knocked from his lungs, his body rolling across the meadow until he ploughed into an especially large tree. Finally yielding to exhaustion, the teenager lay abused in the uprooted dirt, his near-immortal body now covered in gashes and his clothes torn beyond repair.

"You can't leave yourself open like that in a serious fight." he warned, folding his arms with a disappointed look. "While jumping can be an excellent way to add some distance between yourself and the enemy, an inexperienced fighter who does not adjust well will take the risk leaving himself open to further attacks from below."

"I'll have to remember that." Tsukune breathed in suddenly before letting out a series of violent coughs, finding it difficult to maintain his usual positive spirit.

The elder vampire watched his student for a moment before clapping his hands together, the sheer force sending a ripple through the air. " This morning's lesson is over!" he declared with a note of authority, slowly turning his back to the high school student. " My daughter would never forgive me if I were to cause any permanent damage."

"Thank goodness for that." the younger combatant replied good-naturedly.

"He's your responsibility now!" Issa called out into the distance, his eyes scanning the endless field for signs of their overseer.

Suddenly a black-winged shape darted through the air above their heads, taking the form of a familiar woman moments later.

"Oh, hey Ruby..." The young man pushed himself into a sitting position with a weak smile which became more pronounced when he saw her outfit. "I like the new look."

"You really think so!?" the witch questioned excitedly, twirling around to emphasize the short cut skirt and form-fitting material of her nurse cosplay. "I made this outfit for just such an occasion, especially with all the stuff you've been going through, lately."

"Tell me about it." he spoke quietly so that only she could hear, not wanting to insult his combat tutor. "Anyway, I think the nurse look really suits you. And... It's pretty appropriate considering the circumstances."

Diving into the role, Ruby seemingly pulled a glass bottle out of mid-air, pouring the liquid down his throat. "My poor little Tsukune! Don't you worry, I'll make it all better!" she replied, humorously unaware of his obvious discomfort.

Once she was finished, the unwitting patient began gasping for air. It took him a moment to find his voice again, but any annoyance he had with her was quelled by the sight of her eager, yet innocent expression. He burped loudly, a red gas issuing from his throat. "I don't mean to be rude, but what on Earth was in that bottle?"

"Just a new medicine I whipped up for just such an occasion!" she explained matter-of-factly. "The potion temporarily speeds up the body's natural healing process. Even though vampires already have some of the fastest healing rates among monsters, I figured you wouldn't want to go to class looking like that."

"Oh my God, what time is it!?" Tsukune glanced at his wrist, forgetting for a second that he had discarded his watch before the lesson.

Ruby bent over his bruised form, waving her finger like a mother comforting a child. "Don't worry, Tsukune. As your personal assistant, I wouldn't let the future headmaster of Youkai Academy be late to class."

"Well that could explain why I had to get up so early for this..." he admitted, gently grasping at his injured stomach to find his wound almost entirely healed. "Wow, I guess that stuff really does work."

"The ingredients are pretty rare, so you'd better make it worth it." She fell to her knees by his side with a dreamy expression that was all too familiar for those who knew her. Tsukune found himself blushing, yet at the same time he couldn't help but feel awkward. "Would you like to compensate me now, or... ... ..."

Ruby's masochistic desires were usually beyond his comfort zone, but at the same time he really didn't have anything against her for it. While Moka was doubtlessly the love of his life, he couldn't deny feeling more than friendship for the other girls at times. The witch sitting beside him was no exception. Despite making him feel uncomfortable, she was a very beautiful caring woman who would do anything to help others. And when not immersed in her brutal fantasies, she was a very level-headed and pleasant source of conversation.

"Is there something on my face?" Ruby blushed, looking away from his pensive stare.

"No, I was just thinking." the young vampire saw her red face masking the primal desire behind those pink eyes, and panicked. "Uh, that's not what I meant!" he blurted out, causing her to look strangely disappointed, yet somehow relieved. In some ways she was just as innocent as the younger girls in the group.

"Oh, okay..." The witch straightened her medical cap with a concerned expression before helping him stand, using a stethoscope around her neck to listen for his vitals. "So, where exactly does it hurt the most?"

"To tell you the truth, that stuff you gave me really helped deal with the pain, too." he bent down to whisper in her ear. "Anyway, I haven't really mastered the Shinso blood yet, so it's not like I could re-grow my limbs, or something crazy like that."

The beautiful witch let out a sigh of relief before straightening up, her more serious demeanor returning. "Since Master Shuzen hasn't been able to seriously injure you in a fight leads me to believe that you have improved. I doubt there's anyone out there with the power to serious overwhelm a Shinso vampire, especially someone as determined as you."

"Wish I had as much faith in my own abilities as you did... Things were always tough for me."

At this, Moka's father appeared beside them with superhuman speed, looking as composed and regal as ever. His gaze settled onto the boy with scrutiny before softening ever so slightly. "You are right to express uncertainty, Tsukune Aono."

"Guess I deserved that one." the new vampire ran a hand through his messy locks.

"Do not misunderstand me, for you have shown signs of growth. In truth I could have severely injured you had it been my intention, but incapacitating the man whom I have been tasked to train would have been counterproductive."

A look of uncertainty crossed the young witch's features, as if she herself felt a mix of discomfort and insult. "I mean no disrespect Lord Issa, but is it possible that there exists power greater than that of the Shinso blood?"

The venerable assassin seemed to stare off into the distance, his eyes seemingly unfocused on anything within the realm of the former headmaster's paradise. "This world we live in is only a small part of the greater whole." he spoke in a weary voice, sounding older than he appeared. "There exists many other realms beyond our sight, and happenings that fledglings like you have scarcely begun to see, let alone comprehend."

"You speak of Alucard? I do understand, but Fairy Tale is in ruins, and it's members are scattered and leaderless." Ruby rationalized calmly.

"They were but one of many groups who desire to plunge existence into chaos. Others like them remain, and there will always be more waiting in the shadows to emerge." His words created an uneasy silence between the two young charges.

"You mean there's more people like them?" Tsukune questioned worriedly.

"Countless more, and some with hearts blacker than the ocean's depths..." the older gentleman looked towards the sky. "Some seek war, while others desire oblivion. No matter how many perish in pursuit of these things, there will always be more to take their place."

The Shuzen Clansman's words left his student with a soreness in his gut, but he couldn't deny the truth of the matter, especially to one who was supposed to be his student. At the same time, the younger vampire couldn't help but agree with the statement, yet he found it somewhat preposterous as well.

"What about all the good in this world?" he asked suddenly, causing his master to face him once more. "Doesn't the same apply to it, as well as the bad?"

"I think he's absolutely right." Ruby agreed.

Issa considered them for a moment before turning around once more. Regardless of their feelings on the subject or even his own, he began walking in the opposite direction. At the moment, he saw very little to be gained by continuing the debate.

"Pardon my sudden departure, but I have business to attend else ware." he stated, causing the others to exchange confused glances.

After contemplating whether or not he should press the issue, Tsukune came to the same conclusion as his future father-in-law. "Thank you, sir..." he pressed a fist against his opposite palm, bowing courteously.

The elder vampire stopped mid-step as if he had sensed his student's sign of respect, but after a moment his form blurred, leaving nothing behind but a few scattered leaves as he vanished with blinding speed. Tsukune knew not to question his future father-in-law, for he was a stern teacher and a strict individual when not speaking candidly. Much like his daughters, Issa seemed to possess two sides to his personality: The staunch head of the Shuzen Family feared as a great assassin, and the strong-willed father who cared deeply for the well-being of his family. Of course, Tsukune would never state such things in the presence of his teacher, especially when there was such a vast difference in their skill sets.

Having been preoccupied with these thoughts, he was surprised by a sudden tugging sensation on his shoulder, only now realizing that Ruby had been bandaging one of his remaining wounds since the vampire lord's departure. "Been a while since I've felt so much pain." he murmured.

"There now, much better!" she smiled cheerfully, giving the cloth one last tug for good measure.

"If this sparring match was his idea of holding back, I'd hate to see what's he's like serious."

"Issa Shuzen was said to be on par with the Three Dark Lords. Seeing this really doesn't surprise me." Ruby blushed profusely upon seeing her friend's expression. "That doesn't mean I only have a thing for strong guys. You're still the best in my eyes!"

"Gee thanks..." he replied with a half-smile. Thinking about it, she wasn't really lying. Al of the girls ha fallen for him when he was a simple human, and from experience, he knew that humans were easily the weakest sentient species.

"Please don't look at me with that puppy dog face. When you get all mopey like that, the rest of us start feeling down, too."

Tsukune couldn't help but feel guilty again, but the feeling came from more than once source. "I still haven't forgotten who really stopped Alucard for good. In the end, they were the ones who had to finish the job, even after all I did to protect Moka..." he stopped mid-sentence with a hurt expression before amending. "I meant all of my friends."

She appeared touched by the notion, but saddened at the same time. "The rest of us understand how you feel, even if we don't always show it. You worked hard to protect everyone, but Moka was always number one. I've long come to accept that."

The young vampire considered her words, but found himself unable to properly respond. "I really don't know what to say." he replied with a half-hearted smile. "You're a true friend, Ruby."

Ruby busied herself with the clipboard in her opposite hand in an attempt to divert her own attention. She had taken it upon herself to document Tsukune's progress in a log while penciling in his training schedule each day. Having spent the last few years of her life as Mikogami's secretary, it came natural to her. The young witch had accepted the truth of his affections for Moka Akashiya, but had come to the conclusion she would be happy if only he would allow her to continue serving him forever.

"So, maybe I should head back to the dorms and change clothes." he cocked his head to the side bashfully. "Imagine what the others would say if they saw me looking like this."

"No problem, I've already laid out a fresh uniform for you in case of such an emergency. I'll even save you the trip!" She added with a refreshing smile, gently grasping his hand in hers.

Ruby relished the feel of his firm grip as she twirled her wand, transporting them back to Youkai Academy in a flash of light. The duo reappeared standing on the floor of the chairman's office, which was currently unoccupied due to Mikogami's demise. Yet the future headmaster found himself silently taking in the details of the room like countless times before. The plush carpet resembled a magical circle, and several shelves were lined with ancient tomes, most of which were written in languages unrecognizable to a novice like him. No matter how many months had passed since the fall of the Floating Garden, it was still hard to believe that this entire school and everything he had come to love over the past few years was now his.

Ruby reluctantly released his hand before taking a seat in the posh chair belonging to the former Dark Lord. "Speaking as interim headmistress, I highly recommend you head back to the boy's dormitory to prepare for the day ahead." she began in a businesslike manner, the playful wink that followed dispelling her professional vibe. "Mustn't be late for class, now."

"Thanks for all your help! Frankly, I don't know how I could get through all of this without you guys supporting me."

"Maybe I can't speak for the others, but personally, I'll always be there to stand beside you no matter what you choose. I mean... If that's what you want us to do." she added the last part more for her own sake than his, finding it difficult to look him in the eye.

He took a moment to consider this, although in the end he couldn't do much else but smile to express his gratitude, something that the young witch seemed to acknowledge even without the words. Suddenly feeling as though he overstepping the boundary of friendship, Tsukune imagined the reaction of his remaining friends and instinctively began searching for a way to divert the uncertainty of it all.

"So, you planning on coming to the Newspaper Club this afternoon? We just finished this week's edition of the Youkai Gazette and were planning on passing it out."

She opened a draw and pulled out a stack of forms, placing them on the desk with a soft thud. "I have a few official duties for today that come with my new position, temporary as it is."

"Sorry I forgot how busy you were, lately." he muttered disappointedly. "The others haven't seen you in a while and are beginning to wonder if you dropped off the face of the Earth."

"I had no idea!" the nurse-clad woman piped up innocently, her pleasant surprise shifting way to bliss. "I didn't mean to neglect you guys... If all else fails, I'll just handle the paperwork later."

"Maybe I can help... After all, you are doing the job that was supposed to be mine."

"Chairman Mikogami's Will in Testament states that you are only to inherit the school after graduation, and proclaims that I manage day-to-day affairs in his stead until that time comes." She explained flatly.

"Sure thing, Headmistress Toujou." he shot back, earning a giggle from the older woman.

"Now I suggest you get going to class, or I might have to take disciplinary action!" Ruby playfully wagged her finger, but her banter quickly gave way to a dreamy look that was all too familiar to him. "Or just maybe... ... ... You could discipline me instead?"

"No thanks." Tsukune replied calmly, having grown used to her rather unique sense of arousal.

He promptly excused himself shortly thereafter, his exit causing Ruby to revert back to her professional demeanor. As she set to work on the forms, the Shinso vampire found himself back at the gates to his dormitory, having used his enhanced speed to shorten the commute. The fast-paced movements took a lot out of him due to his exhausted state following the fight with Moka's renowned father. Not wanting to strain himself further, he walked to his room at a more human pace.

True to her word, Ruby had left a neatly pressed uniform sitting on his bed, a pair of recently polished shoes laid out for him to slip into. Fang-Fang had provided some Chinese-style fighting clothes for his sessions with Issa, the remains of which were loosely hanging from his shoulders in a tattered mess. The style was similar to the Huang Heir's usual outfits, aside from the brown combat boots and black color scheme. Tsukune replaced the ruined cloth with his green uniform jacket, taking a moment to adjust the collar and fasten the buttons.

Next he retrieved a small ring with a cross-like emblem etched on the surface from the nearby table. Standing in front of a full-length mirror. He slid the object onto his finger while watching the transformation, his grayish brown hair and light red eyes returning to their normal hue while the inhuman markings on his face vanished from view. The talisman was one of many relics left to him by the previous headmaster. Due to the Shinso blood, it couldn't completely block out his power like Moka's old Rosario Seal, but the physical change was enough to keep him from attracting more attention than he already did.

The walk to morning class was no different than the countless other days, but he enjoyed the subtle breeze and sunlight. One thing that had changed was the strange amount of attention he received from girls outside of his inner circle, most of which was attributed to the numerous Freshman that had enrolled in the school only months ago. It had become common knowledge one campus that he had been on the front lines during the war with Alucard, and word about him becoming the chairman of the academy had grown from whispers to common knowledge. Such was the nature of high school gossip.

"Yahoo-hoo!" As if on cue, a familiar pair of breasts enveloped his face as he was pulled into a bone-crushing hug. "Hi there Tsukune! Did you miss us last night!? I know I missed you!"

Yukari ran to catch up with them, wearing a childish frown. "That is so not fair, Kurumu!"

"Yikes... ... Can't breathe!" the Shinso vampire exclaimed in a muffled voice, taking a moment to pry himself loose for her vice-like grip.

Another familiar face emerged from behind the nearest bush, surprising her friends despite the frequency of her random stalking. "Maybe I should put the freeze on her?" she asked in a calm monotone, earning a nod from the young witch.

"Good idea, Mizore!" She took out her wand to cast a spell only to be pause upon feeling a familiar hand squeezing her shoulder. "Oh! Good morning, Moka!"

"Would any of you mind telling me what's going on here?" the silver haired woman placed one hand on her hip with an amused look, causing the succubus to separate herself from their dually proclaimed destined one. "From the looks of things, you seem to be trying to steal my fiancé for the millionth time!"

" I'm not scared of you, anymore!" Kurumu tightened both her fists, only to be suffocated by an intense monster aura. This caused her to remember the last kick they received for criticizing Moka's blood-sucking habits. She swallowed, looking less certain than before. "I think... .. ..."

Seemingly satisfied with this reaction, she relaxed her power with a sweet smile reminiscent of her departed pink-haired self before wrapping her own arms around the group's lone male in a gentle embrace. "Good morning to you, Tsukune. There's something important I've been burning to ask you lately."

The new vampire closed his eyes with an accepting sigh and pulled down his shirt collar. "Can you be a little more careful not to take too much this time?"

Moka seemed positively joyful that he had caught the meaning so quickly. "I'll try my hardest."

Leaning forward, she gently began sinking her fangs into the back of his neck for a nice drink. It took all of her willpower to stop after only a short time, but with the other girls watching them, the former ice queen had decided to be considerate. Beating them up every time they broke into a heated argument had become a regular occurrence over the last year, but she was slowly trying to compromise with the others, realizing that they cared for Tsukune just as much as she did. Even so, she made a mental note to meet him later for a longer session so that the others didn't have to make a spectacle out of her feeding time.

"No matter which way you look at it, I still can't help but think you're cannibalizing him." the succubus raised and eyebrow. "I mean, he is a vampire now, so doesn't that make him one of your kind?"

"My people have been doing this for generations to express the strength of their bonds. I hardly find it inappropriate, especially when his blood tastes so delicious I've become reliant on it as a source of nutrition." she ran a hand down her beloved's chest, earning a shiver from him.

"I don't get it, but I guess it makes sense for a vampire." the little witch shrugged.

"Wouldn't that mean he should get to drink some of yours every once and a while?" Mizore added bluntly, causing Moka to trip mid-step and the others to fall silent in suspense.

Tsukune was the first to recover, although he was still curious as to what the snow woman had been thinking. "Um, don't you think she would have said something by now if that's the way it was supposed to work?" he glanced over at her. "Isn't that right Moka?"

"Well!?" Kurumu pressed the female vampire, looking slightly disgusted by the idea of letting him intimately drink the blood of her arch rival.

Moka blinked twice with a bewildered look before finding her voice. "I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate to you." she gently embraced her proclaimed fiancé once more, causing him to blush. "I never really considered it until now, but I suppose the thought never crossed my mind when you were a human."

It was Tsukune's turn to be confused. "Wait a minute! Are you saying that I'm supposed to... ..."

Without another word, the silver-haired beauty reached down to expose her neckline, blushing uncharacteristically. "Do be gentle... This is my first time with a man."

"I... I..." The young man stammered. He began nervously fumbling with his collar, but when she did not back down, he slowly opened his mouth to oblige, only to find himself unable to move. It took them a moment to regain their bearings before realizing they were both encased in a sheet of ice. His eyes widened in shock before settling on their mischievous group of friends.

"I think it's about time this situation cooled off a little..." the snow girl drawled, her long sleeve falling back to reveal one of her ice claws.

Yukari pouted as though someone had just told her Christmas was cancelled before rounding on the Yuki-onna. "Oh c'mon! Did you have to ruin things before they got to the good part."

"Good job, Mizore!" Kurumu pumped her fist triumphantly.

Seconds later Moka broke their frozen prison with a flash of monster energy, sending shards of ice flying like a rain of diamonds. Gone was the gentler personality that inner side had developed in the recent months, her red eyes flashing dangerously as she began stepping towards the trio menacingly. Monster energy crackled around her feet, searing the grass, as nearby students began fleeing to a safe distance to avoid getting caught up in the vampire's wrath.

Tsukune reached out to grab her wrist, but she swatted his hand away like a mosquito. "Moka, they do this sort of thing all the time... C'mon, can't we just sit down and talk about this?"

"You three!" she seethed through grit teeth, the sight of her sharpened fangs causing their friends to huddle closer together. "Know you place!"

The three girls closed their eyes as Moka used her vampire speed, looking surprised when she didn't immediately kick them into submission. Kurumu was the first to notice the female vampire standing behind them, but before anyone could properly react, they were knocked down by three consecutive blows. Moka returned to Tsukune's side a second later, casually running a hand through her hair with a satisfied smirk.

"That'll do for now. Maybe next time you trollops will think twice before attacking me." She replied, letting out a humorous chuckle as the trio sat on their knees nursing the small lumps she had left on their heads. "

"Seriously, that's all!?" the blue-haired seductress jumped to her feet with am irritated scowl.

"I have to admit, it was funny watching you three cower in fear like cornered animals. To think you guys are so scared of me that a little smoke and mirrors made you wet yourselves."

Yukari retrieved her witch's hat, using it to cover her sore spot. "Why'd you have to include me?" she shook her tiny fists indignantly. "I'm on your side, remember!?"

The silver-haired woman crossed her arms with a mildly amused look. "I don't take fondly when an underage girl watches my intimate moments like some kind of light porn video."

"It's your fault for trying to do it out in the open! It's not like shorty was the only one watching, since half the school yard saw what you guys were about to do!" Kurumu jerked a thumb over her shoulder, causing several students of both genders to turn away embarrassedly.

"No shit, Miss Dairy Cow..." the Yuki-onna spoke flatly, gently sliding the lollipop from her mouth. "At least I have the decency not to be caught watching inappropriate moments."

The blue-haired seductress slapped her forehead. "Seriously... You're not helping!"

"Sorry, but you've got some serious issues, Mizore." Yukari agreed with a flustered exhale.

"I don't see what the big deal is. Rather, you should thank me for letting you guys off with only a thump on the head." Moka argued, looking more amused than upset by their daily runaround. "It was mostly a joke, but worth a laugh to watch you guys panic like that."

Kurumu lowered her arms, her limbs stiffening irritably. "Seriously!? You're actually toying with us like a bunch of children?"

"Well I couldn't seriously consider three B-Class monsters to be my competition." Moka pressed with a mischievous smirk, earning another rise out of the succubus.

Tsukune let out a small sigh as the bickering began anew, having seen this sort of thing on almost a daily basis since his first year at Youkai Academy. This gentler version of inner Moka was noticeably more abrasive than her pink-haired counterpart, but at least her kicks were softer, and her anger more subdued as of late. He could tell she was really trying hard not to make waves while still claiming him as her own, but the ensuing arguments between her and the other girls remained a constant. If anything, he found it hard to believe that this was the same ice-queen who once pounded other people into submission at the drop of a hat.

A few minutes into their walk, he saw that the four girls were talking amongst each other like four ordinary girls marching off to their morning classes. This brought a smile to his face, to see them acting so casual despite the conflict that had dominated the conversation only moments ago. If he didn't know better, it was almost like they secretly enjoyed this little run around of theirs. Maybe somewhere deep down, even he shared this notion, albeit for different reasons. It was nice to feel so much love from others, no matter what the complications it caused.

The brown-haired Shinso stopped walking as he bumped into the wall, having unconsciously wandered over to his desk while engrossed in thought. "That was quick."

Once the others had taken the nearby seats, Kurumu began aggressively rummaging through her stuff before turning her attention to the youngest member of their clique. "Yukari, you need to lend me your notes, like now!"

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess you forgot to study." deduced the child genius.

"Yeah, go ahead and rub it in, why don't you? It's not that... I just... ... Forgot to bring my notes with me this morning."

Moka playfully rested one cheek against the back of her hand. "What a strange coincidence that we have a quiz on European Monster History scheduled for first period class."

"She does bring up a good point." the group's lone male replied innocently as possible.

Kurumu's gaze settled on each of her friends like a deer caught in the headlights before she conceded. "All right, you got me... The truth is I took lousy notes and didn't study last night!" she admitted before turning back to the witch. "I really need to borrow yours. What's the point of being a fucking genius if you won't share it with others!?"

Yukari's smug look changed to one of genuine pity. "Wow, you must really be desperate to start groveling like that. It's really not like you."

"Maybe she's been replaced by an evil doppelganger again." Mizore put out, only to receive an eye-roll from the succubus.

"Not that it's anyone else's business, but I can't afford to fail anymore classes at this point... Ruby told me that if I keep this up, I might have to repeat the year."

"Which would really suck, since we'd probably graduate without you. Though it would be easier to pass next year with Tsukune in charge of the school." the vampiress added, earning a sour look from her friend.

The blunette's discomfort resonated with Yukari, who surrendered her notebook without further comment. "I suppose it's still better than the time you forced me to tutor you against my will. Just promise you'll give it back in one piece."

Kurumu accepted it with a look or relief. " I really owe you for this one, and thanks for not ragging on me."

"You make it too easy..." the snow girl said from over her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's no fun when you walk right into it." the little witch added, eliciting an indignant grimace from their succubus pal.

As Yukari began helping their academically challenged friend, Tsukune glanced to his right to find Moka readying her own materials for class. Despite having some problems with cooking and home economics, she was every bit as studious as her outer self had been. He found himself staring at the pale pink tips of her hair again, but this gesture did not go unnoticed by the ever astute vampire.

"Something wrong, Tsukune?" she asked, cocking her head to the side ever-so-slightly.

"Uh, it's nothing." The male Shinso shook before seizing another topic altogether. "Actually, I was wondering why your father ran off this morning."

"Ran off?" she repeated, looking suddenly curious herself.

"Yeah, we had a sparring session this morning. Can't say it ended better than usual, but he mentioned having to leave early for some important business... ... ... Did he tell you anything about it, or am I just worrying for nothing?"

Moka took a second to think, although in all honesty, she hadn't really spoken to him much since his return. "I really don't know anything either. When I was little he would occasionally leave to carry out a job, but the only reason I know that much is because Akua had a bad habit of sticking her nose into the family business even when it didn't concern us."

The memory of the eldest Shuzen sister's killer instinct made him cringe. "I can imagine."

"Since he's working for the academy now, I don't think you have anything to worry about. My father can take care of himself."

"You don't need to tell me." he replied good-naturedly, gently rubbing the sore spot on his back where he had crashed through the granite earlier. "Yeah, I guess you're right. With Alucard gone, things are bound to stay like this for at least a while... ... ..."

Meanwhile...

Youkai Academy's resident Bus Driver rarely ever found himself wandering the school campus outside of a vehicle, yet here he was taking a stroll through the surrounding forests. occasionally glancing over his shoulder to ensure that no one followed. His detection powers were acute as ever, but even keener were his eyes, which gave off an eerie glow even in the darkest of places. After traveling for what seemed like hours, he finally reached the entry to an ancient sanctuary, a place where up until recently, only the Three Dark Lords and himself had entered.

The wizened old tree standing before him appeared no different than the countless others that surrounded it, yet upon placing his hand on the surface bark, a door appeared before him. The stone entry was inscribed with the academy's bat-like logo. Beyond it lay a stone staircase leading down into the true temple beneath, a place most sacred to the founders and forbearers of the institution. The external door vanished behind him as he stepped beyond the threshold, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness of oblivion.

As he finished descending the long winding stairway, the Bus Driver exited the tunnel, the next door opening into a large room with cathedral-sized ceilings. Several magical orbs suspended from above giving off a brilliant light, their bright surfaces glistening like that of several fine chandeliers. A large red carpet led from one side of the room to the next, and standing guard alongside the walls were several statues of important figures throughout the monster world's history.

"Haven't been here in a while..." he commented, eyeing the statues of previous rulers.

One statue depicted the likeness of Sun Wukong, the great monkey who had ascended to the realm of the Gods and became a Buddha. Across from him was a statue of Alucard in his human form as noble ruler of the monster world, from the days when he was known worldwide as the noble Count Dracula. A nostalgic smirk lit the Bus Driver's face as his eyes settled on another statue depicting an elderly bald man wearing a robe with a tea cup in his hands. So many powerful individuals had sat atop the world of monsters throughout the ages, and this shrine was dedicated to them all.

"Are you remembering the days of old?" a deep voice replied from over his shoulder, the Shuzen Clan's Head casually walking past him to pay respects to his forbearers.

"Yeah..." the Bus Driver turned to face Issa, otherwise looking completely indifferent to his presence. "Can't say there's anyone left living now that remembers those times but me."

"The records left behind by my ancestors speak of these forgotten tales, if only in gentle whispers." Moka's father replied gauntly. "Battles far greater and more terrifying than anything that has been seen in this world since the ancient days."

"Battles waged from the lowest levels of the Underworld to the highest halls of Heaven. Makes that mess with Fairy Tale seem more like a squabble between children."

Issa Shuzen knew that the man standing beside him was perhaps the last living monster who embodied the memories of these struggles, making him feel like a mere hatchling in comparison. Being centuries old himself, the notion was foreign to him. "The one that you spoke off... ... ... He's come to speak to you."

"Waiting in there, I'd reckon." the other man pointed towards the door at the end of the grand hall, earning a nod from the vampire. "I was hoping he'd forget the whole thing... Guess I have no choice now."

"With the supernatural worlds having remained quiet for eons with only minor conflicts emerging between individual parties from time to time. That incident with Fairy Tale was bound to garner the attention of the other factions eventually."

The Bus Driver remained silent as he sauntered forward with Issa following closely behind. The door at the end of the entry hall lead to a series of narrow corridors lined with suits of armor and weapons; much more mundane relics than the resplendent statues displayed in the fist room. Although the hallways branched off in several places, the two monsters continued on the straight path leading to a pair of polished wooden doors, which when opened, revealed a large room with a similar decor to the first, albeit much smaller and lacking the larger than life figures.

Instead there were portraits depicting battles from throughout history and a series of bookshelves against the walls, giving the chamber a resemblance to the headmaster's office back a the academy. A large stone desk sitting on the farthest wall across from the entry. Behind it was a particularly large panting of the Three Dark Lords in their youth, Akasha Bloodriver standing tall and proud in the center, with Mikogami and Touhou Fuhai to her right and left, respectively. A mysterious shadow was depicted looming behind them, but the shining eyes leering through the darkness were all too familiar.

A circular table sat in the center of the room surrounded by six individual cushioned chairs, each equally spaced apart from the other. The Bus Driver let out a low chortle as he caught sight of their guest. Seated upon one of the chairs was a man with long blonde hair and kindly blue eyes, his gentle expression radiating a sense of pure tranquility and deep virtue. Golden armor covered his broad shoulders, off which branched a magnificent cape, opened in the front to reveal red and white robes with a yellow n trim, the lower half emblazoned with the mark of the Holy Cross.

The angelic being stood up, revealing his pure white wings and golden halo. "It has been quite some time, Nurari." he greeted, causing the other man to smirk in recognition.

"Saint Michael of the Heavenly Seraphim... To what do I owe this rare pleasure?" the Bus Driver replied, casually removing a cigar from his coat pocket.

"I see you have brought with you the head of the Shuzen Vampires. Has he become one of your retainers as of late, or do I assume too much?"

Nurari ignited the tobacco with a lighter from his back pocket, appearing as carefree as ever. "More like an employee." he began after a bit of thought. "I hired his services for something important we've got going in the works. As for my intentions, well... ... ... I would rather not disclose them for the moment."

"It is a pleasure to meet you." the Archangel extended a hand, causing Moka's father to hesitate before accepting the gesture. Vampires were weakened by religious symbols and holy power, and even someone strong as the Shuzen Patriarch was no exception. "Oh dear, I do apologize if you find my presence cumbersome."

"On my honor." Issa bowed his head slightly, still wary of the Holy Seraph.

The Bus Driver took a seat on the opposite side of the table as Michael returned to his own. The vampire lord took the seat to the immediate left. "Now that the pleasantries have been observed, let's settle this and be done with it. I've got a schedule to keep."

"Interesting that a creature once known as the ruler of all monsters would spend his late years transporting children from one place to the next. I find it intriguing that a man of your stature would have lowered himself thusly."

"I left behind that pomp in ages past, never to speak of it again. It is only Mikogami's departure that's forced me to exert some manner of leadership in these fleeting times. I just wanna spend my remaining time watching the young rise to the challenge. Not to mention, it grants me some free entertainment watchin' em stumble along the road to the top."

Michael exhaled slowly, carefully observing the mysterious man through pensive eyes. "There are many things I wish to say."

"Then say 'em." the former monster king pressed, his own thoughts hard to discern as ever.

The angelic visitor took a deep breath in, allowing his shoulders to relax under the weight of the golden armor. "First and foremost, I came today in the hopes that we may speak of your first successor... The Vampire King, Alucard."

"Successor!?" Nurari replied flatly, seemingly finding a mirthless humor in the label. "I did support the boy's desire to create a world were all sentient beings could exist in peace, but everything else was his own doing."

"These noble intentions turned to dark designs once his kingdom was laid to waste by fearful humans..."

"And the Church was involved too." the Bus Driver added despondently, pointing the end of his cigar at the archangel.

"Bringing up the complications of this matter was never my intention, today. I deeply regret the decisions of the past, even though it was not my influence that planted the seeds of this tragedy among the followers of God." Michael took a moment to pray for the souls of the departed before speaking again. "I came here to discuss the recent actions of the deviant vampire: The one known as the First Ancestor."

The Bus Driver lowered the brim of his hat as if to hide his true feelings on the subject before gently letting out a puff of smoke. "What's the point speaking of it now? He's dead, ain't he?"

"Along with your most recent successors; the transcendent monster trio known collectively as the Three Dark Lords." he pressed, looking truly concerned by the other man's laid-back approach.

Nurari's expression became suddenly serious, the tiniest bit of his former identity as the old monster king shining through his carefree facade. "An unfortunate turn of events, perhaps." he muttered, taking a moment to honor their sacrifice. "Even so, they took the monster world's biggest menace along with them. It was a necessary sacrifice."

The Archangel inclined his head thoughtfully. "My condolences... ... ... Nevertheless, That still leaves a few points of concern I would like to address. One of which shall wait until we have discussed the business at hand."

When the other man fell silent, the former monster king grew impatient. "Go on..."

"The incident concerning Alucard's appearance in the human world begs me to question why you purposely concealed his return from the other factions. The others may have dismissed the incident, but you understand that we who serve the Biblical God find this most disconcerting."

The Bus Driver tapped his cigar against the table, leaving a burn mark and ashes in its wake. "You're talking about the fall of the Floating Garden in that human city? Fairy Tale was who made this war a public spectacle, not us."

"It has caused an uproar among the factions... That monsters would stake a claim on the human world, regardless of the consequences for everyone else."

"The monster world isn't a united force... Never really was, regardless of everything we've done to make peace. Despite what you might think, I see this as an internal affair that doesn't directly concern the factions you speak of."

"Please understand, Lord Nurari. It is a problem that has inadvertently affected the innocent as well." Saint Michael answered courteously, his voice sounding soft and comforting, even now.

Issa Shuzen cleared his throat assertively, waiting for the acknowledgment of the others before speaking. "We have since repaired the damage to the city and wiped the memories of the humans directly involved. Nurari has informed me that several undercover academy alumni purposely interfered with television broadcasts to contain the spectacle caused by Alucard's followers. All we need do now is hunt down the remnants of Fairy Tail."

"And you'll pardon me for saying this, but the affairs of our world do not concern those of you who dwell past the Pearly Gates."

Michael remained unfazed by this, though he could not entirely ignore their retorts. "I understand your feelings, and accept your reasoning." he spoke rationally, gently folding his hands as if in prayer. "However, the main reason I came to you today is not relevant to the Fairy Tale incident."

The Youkai's usual smirk dissipated once more as he closed his mouth, leaving the cigar hanging with only his lip as a support. "It was you who approached me, your Holiness."

"Which is why I must first apologize for allowing my own thoughts on the Alucard incident to cloud my judgment." His words only seemed to confound the monsters. "My true reason for being here is to propose peace between the Angels of Heaven, and the World of Monsters."

Issa exchanged a glance with the driver. "To my family's knowledge, there has never been a direct struggle between Youkai and the Holy Will. That is, if we neglect to mention relics of your kind were forged to exterminate creatures who possess negative energies. devils are not the only ones susceptible to exorcism. We monsters also faced eradication at the hands of your believers."

"We've never had a large scale conflict like you folks and the Devils did, but that doesn't make us buddies." Nurari agreed.

"While this is true, we have since made amends with the Fallen Angels and the Devil factions.

The Bus Driver looked surprised for a moment, a rather foreign emotion on his normally mysterious visage. Although after careful consideration he seemed to accept the idea. "Hmmm... I suppose this was coming. You folks spent eons in a deadlock between Heaven and Hell, yet the war was mostly over following the ceasefire. It's natural you'd make the truce official at some point."

Michael nodded slowly in acknowledgment. "Thus it is now our desire to do the same with others. A lasting peace... That is all we hope for. It will give us all a chance to thrive once more, to take the most out of this shared existence."

The former monster king paused maddeningly, but never at a loss for words, answered quickly. "Sounds like something that snake Azazel would say, yet to hear it from God's personal errand boy too." he let out a dry laugh sounding more like a cough.

"He did propose peace for these reasons. But we were all in agreement."

Issa looked concerned by the angel's statement. "The leader of the Fallen Angels was the one?"

"I'd guess the fool was too lazy to fight after so long of dealing with all the headaches these squabbles caused for he higher-ups." the Bus Driver responded.

"The real question is, why do you come to us with this same proposal?" the vampire asked, turning to their guest for an answer.

"It is simple." Michael spoke serenely. "We saw your people struggle against adversity, and now we wish you all to join us in our plans for a brighter future. The time has come for us to procreate, not to war amongst each other."

Nurari took the moment of silence to discard his cigar, promptly stomping out the remains with his driver's boot. "If it were up to me, then I'd consider it." he coughed softly, placing a hand to his mouth. "But it's like I kept saying; my time as monster king ended even before the fall of Ancient Egypt. Monsters don't have a single powerful leader, anymore... We haven't in eons!"

The Archangel bowed his head. "And with the Three Dark Lords gone from this world, there are no longer those with strength who could unite them."

"Not to mention we don't even have matters settled here at the academy. I sure and Hell don't intend on being in charge here for much longer."

The Seraph appeared weary by the prospect, although his courtesy did not waver. Slowly he rose from his seat and raised his hand. "I understand... ... ... It is a pity we could not come to an agreement, old friend. Still, I have high hopes that one day, your people will stand together united once more."

"You and me both." the Bus Driver turned his back to the angel as the holy representative was engulfed in a brilliant light, causing Issa Shuzen to shield his eyes.

While Saint Michael prepared to return to the Heavens, he spared one last glance at the monster leaders, a look of deepest concern crossing his angelic features. "Beware the vanquished ones... Beware the fallen ones..." he chanted solemnly, his body soon disappearing in another flash of light.

As the room grew silent once again, the vampire lord found himself at a loss for words. This was not the first time he had encountered an angel, but he had never before felt so bewildered by the presence of a holy disciple. He had killed monster hunters and exorcists before, but despite all of them living under the banner of the Church, this man had given him and entirely different impression than the so-called righteous followers who preyed upon his kind. The feeling this Seraph had given him was a strange mixture of curiosity and disgust, yet the desire to murder the holy messenger was not present as it had been with the others.

One thing disturbed him, though. "His last words to you felt ominous, yet somehow, repentant... Was it a threat?"

"More like, a warning... ... ..." the Bus Driver slowly made his way towards the exit, his trademark smirk returning. "Here I thought things were looking up for us. I have a feeling that things are about to get a lot more interesting around this place."

Later that night...

The sun had set several hours ago, leaving Youkai Academy covered in darkness. To an ordinary human the monster world would've been scary at the best of times, but the gothic style buildings and graveyards on campus made things all the spookier. Ironically, all of the monsters on campus had retired for the night, leaving nothing behind but an eerie calm. It was a classic scene or nighttime terror, with bats fluttering about, shifting shadows, and owls hooting in the distance, yet the person who had wandered onto the grounds under the cover or night proceeded onwards without an ounce of fear.

A mysterious figure emerged from the dead trees leaning on a large stick, a sheathed sword barely visible beneath his black trench coat. The stranger wore a brown cloak over his upper body, using it to conceal his movements and identity as he stealthily made his way across the academy grounds, an unusual spring in his step that spoke more of anticipation than fear. Although his face was hidden by the shadow of the hood, a pair of dilated red eyes could be seen glistening beneath the surface.

"So this is Youkai Academy!?" he shouted, a wild grin enveloping his face. "I can't wait to chop up some monster whores!" Suddenly the feeling of a cellphone vibrating caught his attention, forcing him to answer. "Yeah, what the Hell you want now!?"

"I'm making sure you don't do anything stupid." a confident yet sinister voice answered from the other end, further incensing the receiver. "Kill whomever you want once the task is complete, but your primary target is the boy!"

The mystery assassin reached into his coat, pulling out a wanted poster featuring Tsukune's face. "The kid looks like a real pussy to me! You saying as long as he dies, I can do whatever I want?"

"Do not forget the main objective... Underestimate the Shinso blood, and you'll be dead." the caller responded.

"Fuck you too, freakshow?" the assassin answered, his tongue dangling out of his mouth in an insane manner. "Talk to me like that again, and I'll take your head instead of payment!"

NOTE TO READERS: Thanks for giving my story a chance. Sorry if there are any typos, but stuff slips through the nets, so-to-speak. Not to mention I usually write and edit late at night, so being tired doesn't always help either.

You wanna see more of this story than drop me a review! Have any suggestions, ideas, or criticisms than feel free to tell me. That being said, I'll judge whether or not to continue this story based on the feedback... It's often a policy of mine to focus on stories that people like the most among my fanfiction list, since I have several.

Yeah, I went with the theory that the Bus Driver is the Nurarihyon, the Legendary Ruler of all Youkai. His name was a play on the monster name, but I went with it since he supposedly scouted Mikogami years ago the same was he did with Tsukune. Anyone wanna guess who the assassin was at the end of this chapter?


	2. Those Who Smite the Wicked

**Chapter 2: Those Who Smite the Wicked **

Disclaimer: I do not own _Rosario + Vampire_ or _High School DXD_. This story is made purely for fun, not profit.

Having officially graduated from Youkai Academy the previous year, Ling-Ling had chosen to stick around out of her own interest, something that had not sat well with the administration. When they initially refused her request, Ruby proposed the elder Huang sibling be allowed to remain as a peacekeeper, resulting in the creation of a new campus security team composed mostly of school alumni and staff. She and her Jiang Shi army were currently tasked with acting as peacekeepers and caretakers of the school grounds, effectively replacing the corrupt Public Safety Commission that was disbanded two years before.

While the undead woman clearly enjoyed watching the messes made by Tsukune's harem, she spent most of her time keeping an eye out for assassins sent to collect the bounty on the young man's head. Her Jiang Shi servants were stiff limbed due to post-burial decay, but the nature of their existence made them strong, tireless, and fast, allowing them to detect and subdue any intruder while keeping the school under constant watch.

Ling-Ling plopped herself down on the couch positioned against the wall of the security team's main office. The shrine-like building had previously been home to the fox demon Kuyou and his Yakuza-like police force. It was abandoned until the end of last year when Ling-Ling had been granted the property as a base of operations. Since then she had personally remodeled the interior to resemble her family's Chinese style mansion back home. The sparse rooms ere now adorned with more comfortable furnishings, and the doctrines of the Public Safety Commission had been torn from the walls and replaced by decorative artifacts from the Huang Estate.

The zombified woman stretched her rigid body against the full length of the couch in an attempt to loosen her limbs, carelessly thumbing through a book from one of the many shelves. Being dead had some advantages, but she missed the sensation of touch, and the feel of a living pulse within her body. The only thing that truly remained alive was her mind, which is why she often busied herself by reading. Learning new things was one of the few things she could do in order to invoke some type of self-improvement, since her body had long become a walking corpse that no longer aged.

A knock on the door focused her attention back to the present, followed by the entrance of a face she had come to know quite well in the past year or so. Standing tall and muscular, Haiji Miyamoto had been captain of the Karate Club before his graduation last year, and now served Youkai Academy as a member of the peacekeeping force. Despite his usually high spirits and excitable personality, he seemed oddly stone-faced for the moment, something that did not sit quite right with the female Jiang Shi.

Ling-Ling leaned forward with a cheerful expression, placing her long sleeves together and bowing like a monk. "I'm most pleased you saw fit to grace me with your presence today, Mr. Miyamoto. By any chance, are you hassling the school's ladies, again?"

"Save it! I came here to tell ya that there's a serious situation on campus right now."

The elder Huang sibling sat up a little straighter, though her expression did not change. "Don't tell me you were attacked while peeping on the first-year students. This would be the third time this month, would it not?"

"Not this time, dead lady... We got bigger problems!" Haiji clenched his fists, looking as though he were about to punch someone else. "While me and the boys were doing the morning rounds, we found the bodies of three female students on the edge of the northern woods." he cringed with a hesitant scowl. "Don't know much else, but it looked like they'd been dead for at least an hour."

The security chief sat up a little straighter, all signs of humor having vanished from her visage. "Hmmm... You're serious, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't kid about something like this." the Tengu Demon scowled at the thought of what he saw, the images of the students' lacerated remains flashing in front of his eyes for a second.

The female zombie sitting across from him blinked once in response to the news, but it was clear that her own experiences with death had left her numb to even the most morbid experiences. "I see." she paused thoughtfully, giving him another opening that he did not immediately oblige. "What else can you tell me about the incident."

"Didn't recognize the victims, but it looks like whoever did the deed caught 'em completely off guard. No big sign of a struggle, and they weren't even in monster form when we got there."

"So, it was a clean death, then?" she paused dreamily for a moment, as if she found the prospect almost disappointing. "Unlike the prolonged sickness that took my life, of course... Bless them, having been given the gift of a swift demise."

The bird man's shoulders stiffened, once again uncertain how to deal with the undead. "Focus, will ya!" he barked in her face, causing the woman to blink absent-mindedly.

Ling-Ling turned to face her visitor, now ready to give the news her undivided attention. "Right then... By any chance, is there hope that one of the victims survived?"

"Not unless the poor kids can speak without a pulse." he grunted dismally. While the karate practitioner was known for his lolita complex, he also held a genuine affection for the young, something that many members of his species were known for. His anger at the culprit of this crime was apparent in every word he spoke.

Despite her seeming lack of attachment to the world around her, the zombie girl sensed his feelings. "Very well. Did you collect the bodies of the three students?"

"They were in really bad shape, overall... I ain't an expert, but it looked like someone brutalized the dead and mutilated the bodies for fun. We're just lucky those girls were carrying some kinda school identification, or it might've been harder to figure out who they were."

"I suppose this rules out resurrecting them as Jiang Shi." she muttered to herself, knowing that severe dismemberment would render the process less effective. Sensing his impatience, she quickly decided to refocus on the tragedy itself. "Still, it seems you were able to discern quite a bit from the condition of the remains. How exactly did you make these conclusions?"

"More of a gut feeling to me, though none of them were in their monster forms, so I don't think there was much of a fight. You might wanna take a look at 'em yourself. Maybe the medics downstairs managed to find out more than we did."

The elder Huang sibling hopped to her feet in a manner most indicative of her species before changing her movement to a slow walk. Despite it being easier for her to hop around like a normal Jiang Shi, she retained some semblance of joint movement due to her great grandfather's expertise in creating zombies. While she relied on jumping motions for fast movement, Ling-Ling still preferred to walk when she was able, as it made her feel more like the person she had been before dying. Behind her, the Tengu followed a step behind her, despite having just come from that direction. He had no desire to see the young students' bodies again.

Ling-Ling stepped into the room with an unusually grim look, her eyes widening ever so slightly in response to what waited within. She clapped her hands twice, prompting the aids to excuse themselves from the room. While the security force itself was known for its large percentage of Jiang Shi, the clinical staff were all living monsters. In human form, the head doctor was rather ordinary in appearance, having a thick brown beard and short hair, his white coat and tools indicating his position as the outpost's lead physician. The doctor acknowledged his visitors with a small nod as they approached.

"I've come to inspect the bodies of the deceased." she greeted, causing the man to step aside.

The medical professional solemnly reviewed the notes on his clipboard as he moved to the other side of the operation table, holding a hand out to stop her from moving the sheets. "It will do you little good, Chief Huang. They are beyond our help."

Haiji turned his back to the Jiang Shi, quietly taking a post outside the door. "Didn't I just get through saying the same thing? There no point disturbing the dead."

"You think I am unaware of these things? After all, I'm already dead." Ling-Ling reached up as if to remove her head, though she stopped after considering the severity of the situation in the eyes of ordinary people. "I only wish to assess their conditions for myself."

She took the edge of the sheet and tugged, revealing the naked body of a young girl. The victim bore a slight resemblance to Kokoa in terms of build and height, although her bust was slightly larger, and her hair a mundane brown opposed to the Shuzen vampire's fiery locks. While her eyes were empty and lifeless, her expression spoke of shock more than pain, indicating that her death had been sudden and unexpected. Ling-Ling ran a cold hand down the still-warm corpse, fingering several of the wounds as she traced the cuts and mutilations. The lacerations were numerous, which struck the trio as odd, considering how precise the kill had been.

The Tengu man turned his head away, choosing to stare at the wall across the room instead. "So, what's the verdict?"

"This girl was lucky in comparison to her companions... One was missing several organs, and the other was barely recognizable." the doctor added, apparently sharing the sentiments completely. "Were it not for school issued identification, it would have been difficult."

Haiji had discovered the third victim before finding the others, which was part of the reason why his normally brash demeanor seemed oddly shaken. "What kinda messed up psycho would've done something like this? Reminds me of that stuff we saw up on the Floating Garden!"

Ling-Ling fell silent for a moment, quietly piecing the puzzle together in her mind. "Whoever did this was clearly a sadist."

The medic adjusted the collar of his jacket with care. "What led you to that conclusion?"

She pulled back the sheet to reveal several stab wounds that seemed oddly cleaner than the wild gashes that covered most of the corpse. "Take a look at these cuts... Each of these marks were precise, aimed at piercing a vital spot to disable the victim." The female zombie moved her hand across the skin. "I imagine the remaining wounds were inflicted beforehand with the single-minded purpose of causing pain and suffering."

"Do you think an unbalanced student was the cause of this killing?" the doctor asked, taking a moment top re-evaluate the situation.

Ling-Ling carefully ran a finger over some strange burn marks on the surface of the skin. "I found this perplexing. It is almost as if the attacker struck with a burning sword, yet I find that impractical."

"Maybe the sick bastard tried to burn the remains when he was done?" Haiji suggested, shifting uneasily as he leaned against the wall.

The doctor shared her sense of confusion. "And yet no other part of the victim was burned?"

"While it may sound quite strange at first, I see little other explanation but the use of magic. The scorched flesh on this girl's body only aligns with the gashes left behind by the murderer's weapon. Were she burned with fire or heat, it would have been more widespread."

"Doesn't matter who did it or how it was done! First thing we gotta do is warn the other students that there's a psycho on the loose. Then we have to get the kids to safety and hunt down whoever's responsible." The karate practitioner's mouth twisted into a scowl. "Ruby and the others also need to know what's going on, too."

"While I agree we should warn the Shuzen Family and my brother's friends, it may not be wise to make a spectacle of this situation quite yet."

Haiji turned around to face her, looking impatient. "Are you saying we just sit here and wait for this guy to pick off more of our kids?"

"It might cause panic among the student body if this incident becomes public knowledge too quickly. Not to mention the commotion would tip off the perpetrator." She paused to think for a moment, her carefree composure evaporating for a second or two. The dead woman closed her eyes in thought before responding. "At the very least, I am certain this murder was not an isolated incident."

The doctor looked as though he had a breakthrough, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a small ring-like trinket. "I almost forgot, ma'am! We discovered this object nearby during our initial inspection of the victims' bodies." he held out his hand, allowing her to take it from him. "We were unable to identity what it was."

Ling-Ling took the metal bracelet in her fingers, turning it over with a critical eye. Several runes were carved into the surface of the object, though they were written in letters rather than kanji. It took her a minute to recognize the language as an ancient form of Latin, and a moment longer to piece together the translation in her mind. She had learned many things having Touhou Fuhai as a grandfather, including different branches of mysticism that were used in a variety of cultures. Although the actual writing meant little to her, she vaguely recognized it as a prayer used by the disciples of God-fearing religious groups.

Having a very limited sensation of touch left in her deceased body, it took the Jiang Shi several seconds to notice the painful searing sensation in her hand, the smell of burning flesh tipping her off instead. She dropped the ring immediately, recoiling in pain as the sensation finally kicked in, her brittle fingers flexing almost as if she were having a harder time moving them than usual. After regaining her bearings, she noticed that one of the paper sutras attached to her outfit had partially disintegrated.

"Something spook you?" Haiji asked, his eyes settling on the circular scorch mark on her palm. His curiosity piqued, he bent over to retrieve the fallen object.

"Do not touch it." She made a snatching motion with her good hand, seizing hold of his wrist with a warning look.

The third member of their team humbled himself with a small bow. "I should have warned you... The object seems to release a form of heat when exposed to bare flesh." the doctor apologized, his own expression matching that of the Tengu man. "Do you recognize what it is?"

"Not specifically, but I have heard tell of similar items from my great grandfather." She hesitated for a second before retrieving a surgical tool from the nearby table, using the metal instrument to hold up the ring without touching it. "This object is a holy relic blessed by divinities. Items such as these were used as focusing objects for exorcisms and other rituals meant to repel the wicked."

The karate user tilted his head in her general direction. "Looks like that thing figured out your true nature, pretty quick."

"By saying this talisman repels the wicked... I meant that it causes harm to any power source not of human of divine origin."

"Is that why one of your papers burned up?" Haiji asked bluntly, noticing one of the partially-destroyed sutras barely clinging to the side of her dress.

"Divine relics like this bracelet are used to erase energy exuded by creatures such as monsters and devils." She felt part of her body grow numb, the affects of her reanimation clearly affected by the incident. "Likewise if we touch a blessed object, it will naturally reject us."

The muscular fighter appeared disturbed by her words. "If Youkai can't even touch those things, than our culprit couldn't have been a student. Whoever did this to those girls probably wasn't even a monster, meaning it was..."

"An intruder..." she finished for him, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "While I'm not entirely certain, this appears to be our most likely conclusion."

"Which is why we gotta round up the troops and launch an all-out search for the culprit." He called over his shoulder, having already turned to leave.

"Do not be so hasty." she warned, only for her cries to fall on deaf ears. The Tengu had already bolted from the room, passing into the corridor beyond with amazing speed. "Impatient, are we?" she muttered amusedly, easily catching up to him with a few stiff hopping motions. To a stranger she would have looked awkward, jumping in a way that made little use of her joints, yet she found it easier to keep up with the super-fast birdman by doing so.

She propelled herself into the air, landing directly in front of him. "First we need to formulate a proper response. It's true I may be dead, but the rest of you are decidedly not, nor do I think it wise to hasten your demise."

Haiji stopped suddenly, causing her to stumble mid-jump. "Forget that! I'm going into the field to find whoever did this myself. Are you suggesting I can't?"

"You are very capable; Gin tells me that you and he were the ones who took down that Fairy Tale base. During that incident you were the aggressors, however our position is reversed this time, and the situation more complicated due to the large civilian presence."

"We can't just stand here and do nothing... I'm going now, unless you have a better plan."

She sighed bemusedly, despite breathing not being a necessity for her. "If you must do something, I suggest you make use of those wings to reach the school and deliver this news to the others. Once they formulate a plan to address the situation further, I need you to relay the information to the remaining units in the field and myself."

"Sheesh, and now you're using me as a messenger crow." he groaned, this blatant sarcasm acting as his acceptance of the role.

"If your desire is to protect the children, then you would do better by making the most of your talents."

He turned to leave, only for her to shove a wrapped up piece of surgical cloth into his hands. "What!? You want me to play delivery boy, too?"

"Don't be so simple-minded... I have a feeling that our friends at the school will also find this discovery to be quite illuminating."

"Talking in riddles again, huh? This is a serious situation." he accepted the item, gently pulling the cloth aside to reveal a familiar talisman.

"Make certain you take this evidence directly to Ruby and Lord Shuzen. Oh yes... And do keep that nasty thing hidden until you reach them, would you?" she spoke calmly as ever, again looking strangely carefree in the face of such negative sentiments. "Don't want it ending up in the wrong hands now, do we?"

"Yeah, you don't have to tell me twice." he answered warily, his eyes instinctively moving to the package as he felt a mild heat flaring up through the several layers of cloth.

Turning his back to her, the Tengu spared a moment to concentrate his full monster energy, a small aura flashing about seconds before he vanished in a blur of wind. Several familiar feathers remaining floating in the air where he was standing moments ago, but his body had completely vanished from sight. Ling-Ling caught one of the feathers in her hand and smiled, glad that he was the one who had given her the report. The lolicon was a strong asset to the team, despite his rather irritating habit of smothering children, and spying on the academy's female population. As if following his lead, Ling-Ling spun around and broke into a rapid frog hop, determined to do her own part in protecting her brother and his classmates.

Meanwhile...

Having just been released from class, most of the students were wandering around campus or heading back to the dormitories to relax. After school activities were a big part of life at Youkai Academy, and this was no exception for the members of the famous newspaper crew, rumored to be the strongest fighters on campus despite none of them being a part of the more action-oriented clubs. The actions of Moka Akashiya and Tsukune Aono had become legendary across campus, though at the same time it intimidated possible recruits for their club, leaving the _Youkai Gazette_ in the hands of a their small circle of friends.

Kurumu Kuruno kicked back in her chair, placing both feet on the surface of Gin's old editor's desk. Since the werewolf had graduated the previous year, she had taken up his role as the club president, a job none of the others had been particularly interested in. Since the group usually worked together on making decisions, the position was mostly filled for show, although it had allowed her to incorporate an exclusive column dedicated to her culinary expertise. As a talented cook and aspiring future wife, she specialized in home economics and homemaking, one of the few things she was better at than her friends.

Tsukune set down last week's issue of the paper, wracking his brain for inspiration. "So, what do you guys think we should do for this week's addition?"

Kokoa lowered a magazine she was reading. "Maybe an article about how to fight using different kinds of weapons. My buddy Ko can transform into all of them, and I can demonstrate."

"Lame!" Kurumu shot back, earning a glare from the group's youngest vampire.

"If you're so damned smart, why don't you think of something?" the redhead grimaced, looking as though her patience had already reached its end.

Mizore popped up beside her, causing the younger girl to jump as she seemingly materialized out of thin air. "How about a column on stalking without getting caught?" the purple-haired girl proposed in her signature monotone, earning a collective sigh from the group.

"You always say that, Mizore... No one wants to read about your unhealthy obsessions." Yukari argued, seemingly speaking for the others.

"I was thinking it would be more of an instructional article where I reveal my techniques for hiding in plain sight while avoiding wandering eyes." she cocked her head the side innocently, looking as though she was spacing out. "Last year there were a few people trying to stalk me while I was watching Tsukune, but they were doing a rather poor job of it."

Kurumu leaned forward irritably. "And how would you know that?"

"If they had been good at it, I would've had a harder time noticing."

The male vampire leaned in, looking slightly uncomfortable. "You don't still do that, do you, Mizore?"

"So what if I do? You are my future husband." she answered vacantly.

"Excuse me!" Moka loomed over them, her expression an odd mixture of her usual irritation and her pink-haired self's bashful side.

"Never mind! Mizore's constantly rambling about making babies! I mean, she does it every day for crying out loud." the succubus protested, causing the vampire to relax a little. "After all, we're supposed to be talking about the newspaper. This isn't time for us to argue about who gets to marry my Tsukune?"

"Your Tsukune!?" Yukari jumped up, locking eyes with their self-proclaimed leader.

"You'd think I'd be used to this kind of stuff after a year." Fang-Fang sighed, gently wrapping a hand around the witch's shoulder and guiding her back into a chair. "While I envied Tsukune at fist, these past months make me wonder if having a harem is really worth it."

"How many times do I have to say, they're not a harem!" Tsukune shouted, causing an outbreak of bickering directed towards him. It soon broke out into another argument about who he 'belonged' too, much to the poor man's dismay.

The Yasha sitting beside him couldn't help but pity his only male friend. "I may have given up on having you join the Huang Family, but despite what you may think, it would certainly have its perks. After all, Polygamy is always an option in the monster world."

Tsukune eyed the remainder of his still bickering friends for a moment and exhaled deeply before turning letting his mind wander. It was definitely something he had considered in the recent months he had spent at the academy. It was clear that they all truly cared for him, but at the same time, he wasn't sure if he could love all of them with the same level of devotion as he did with Moka. Not only did Moka oppose the idea, but her father had personally lived this lifestyle once before, and knew the power of a woman's scorn. It had been one of the warnings given to Tsukune by the Shuzen Clan's patriarch.

"You okay there, buddy?" Fang-Fang waved a hand in front of his face.

The male Shinso shook his head to clear it. "Polygamy isn't something to be taken lightly. Not that I've ever seriously considered it." he added the last part rather hastily, earning a disbelieving yet respectful nod from his male friend.

"You could live a wonderful happy life with all of these girls." the Yasha protested. His eyes settled on the youngest of the flock for a second, causing a blush to grace his feminine features. "Any reason why you're so against giving them what they want?"

"Because... ... ... It wouldn't make everyone happy." he hesitated for another moment, his teeth grinding together uncomfortably. "It's really not about what I want, either. The truth is, they all deserve more than I can give them as I am now."

The Huang Family's heir considered his friend's words in silence, still unsure how to respond. He had never had experienced the kind of devotion from a girl that Tsukune knew all too well, nor had he even held hands with one. It was rather embarrassing to admit, but even with his position and notoriety in the underground, he had always been too awkward and nervous around woman to deal with them in the romantic sense. His sister often teased him about this, though he had never really discussed this problem with other people, mostly because he never had any friends to ask for advice before.

"I guess I really don't understand." he admitted, running a hand through his long dark hair.

Tsukune responded with a good-natured, yet exasperated smile. "I don't think anyone would unless they had to live through it." he found himself gazing off at nothing again.

The mob leader let out a small chuckle, mostly at his own expense. "As the heir to the Huang Family, one would almost expect me to have had similar experiences."

"Most guys would beg for something like this to happen to them, but I doubt any of those dudes really had any clue how hard it is... At the same time, I can't say I regret coming here."

"I don't either!" Fang-Fang replied confidently, earning a curious look from his one-man audience. "Even though my reasons aren't exactly the same as yours... You folks in the Newspaper Club were the first friends I've ever had. Even before they considered me a real friend, I was grateful to have someone around who treated me like a normal person, even if they didn't like me."

"Well you sorta weirded me out with that offer to join your family... That is, before I realized you were trying to recruit me into a gang." the new vampire let out an awkward yet nostalgic chuckle. "At the time, everyone thought you were coming onto me."

The kung-fu user shot up, looking suddenly embarrassed. "Do I seriously look like that kind of guy to you!?" He took Tsukune's silence as an affirmative before drooping his head shamefully.

"Yeah, really sorry about that." the older boy apologized, earning a small nod.

"It's okay. Wouldn't be the first time someone made a comment about my appearance. Ling-Ling used to do it all the time when we were kids. I assume most people we knew back then were too afraid of insulting the first son of the Huang Family to say anything." he crumpled slightly before smiling again. "No big deal. It's still nice to have friends who aren't afraid to speak candidly around me."

"Yeah, this school certainly has a way of bringing people together. Even if you have to get into mortal danger before realizing how important you've really become to each other."

Fang-Fang remembered his battles with Fairy Tail. "Can't argue with that..."

Meanwhile Tsukune found himself reminiscing to all of the students that attacked him in his Freshman year, and how the girls had always saved his life. He began to remember the faces of every enemy he had fought since being revived by Moka's blood; from the bout with the Fox Demon Kuyou to the final battle with Alucard. These battles not only tested his will to live, but also the bonds of friendship that existed between himself and those he valued most. It was almost a living Hell, yet even looking back on so much pain and suffering, he would never change his decision to stay at Youkai Academy. It and the monster world were now his home.

Before the conversation could continue, Moka suddenly appeared in front of them, a triumphant smile on her face. "After much deliberation, the others and I came to an agreement of sorts."

"What now!?" Tsukune began, his face dropping when he saw the trio standing behind her with fresh lumps on their heads. He eyed each one of the girls before let out an awkward sigh. "Oh, so it was that kind of agreement. You guys really should find a less violent way to talk."

"Tell that to Moka." Mizore spoke up, taking a moment to retract one of her ice claws.

"You were in that scrap too, y'know?" Yukari stated flatly, casually turning her wand into a small hammer. She bent over and began chipping away at the ice encasing her left leg, breaking herself free with a well-placed smash. "To think after all this time we're still at this."

"If you guys would just buzz off, we wouldn't be." Kurumu retrieved a piece of discarded ice from the floor and pressed it against the crown of her head to numb the soreness.

The silver-haired beauty shook her head as if dismissing her rivals before taking charge of the situation. "Regardless we've decided to call a temporary truce until the end of this semester."

While Tsukune looked somewhat relieved by the news, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach told him otherwise. "What do you mean by that?"

The succubus relaxed her posture before following the female vampire's lead. "Since you originally fell in love with the Outer Moka, Little Miss Ice Queen agreed to give us all a chance to prove that she's the best one for you."

"So, we have the rest of the year to convince you that one of us is a better fit for you than Moka." the snow woman added.

Yukari kicked her legs back and forth playfully, a nervous blush reaching her cheeks. "After graduation we'll ask you for an answer. That is, after we've all had our last chance. This way it's a fair fight until the end!"

The male vampire stammered for a moment, glancing over at Fang-Fang for help, who casually brushed him off by staring intently in the other direction. _So much for bros sticking together!_ he thought bitterly, nervously turning his head to face the girls again. They seemed strangely unified on this time, possibly a result of their years arguing amongst each other over this same topic.

"Moka!?" he muttered nervously, earning a rather confident wink from his girlfriend.

"Can't say I was too into it, but they all seemed pretty confident, and I admire that quality in any worthy opponent." She leaned against the wall and folded her arms with a cool-headed smile. "They just want me to let them keep trying until the end of the school year, that is, without me beating them up every afternoon."

He leaned in with a panicked expression. "Are you absolutely sure letting them come at me is the best option?" he spoke into her ear.

Her response was a small peck on the cheek, leaving behind a burning sensation where her lips touched his skin. "It's not them... I have confidence in you." she whispered back, pulling away slowly before addressing the group. "Not to mention, I know the rest of you won't do anything naughty, per the second half of out agreement."

"Yeah yeah, we remember the rules!" Kurumu waved her rival's warning aside with a sense of boundless confidence.

Fang-Fang quietly watched as they began discussing the deal, gently nudging his friend on the shoulder. "Good luck with that, Mr. Aono."

"Thanks..." the upperclassman murmured, looking like someone had cancelled his birthday.

He glanced up to see Moka detailing punishments to the others for any "breach of contract", yet despite all of the complications, the others seemed happy she agreed to it. Tsukune was much less certain if this would cause him any further romantic problems, but latched onto the hope that everything would turn out fine like it always did. Moka was right about one thing, though; the time really was drawing closer to when he would have to hurt the feelings of those people closest to him. Strangely the others seemed unusually optimistic despite his engagement. He understood why Moka was confident, but somehow dreaded having to address the state of his remaining friends once this truce ended.

"Guys... Is this really a good idea." Tsukune questioned with a slight wince, his signs of worry being quickly detected by the others.

"Don't worry, Tsukune. This outcome's been a long time coming." the Yuki-onna replied in a muffled voice, shifting her lollipop from one side of her mouth to the other while speaking. "As for me, I'll be just fine no matter what happens in the end."

Kurumu pumped his fist challengingly. "I may not have won the first round, but to a succubus, winning is what really matters. Working hard and finishing strong is the best way to go about doing these kinds of things!'

"Is that your take on life, or how you plan on approaching sex." Yukari snickered, only to be grabbed from behind and forced into a violent headlock.

"You've got a dirty mind of such a mouthy brat... Well allow me to grind it all out of you!" the blue-haired ayashi ground her knuckles against the younger girls skull, eliciting a few cries of pain and a weak struggle. "Give it up yet, shrimp!"

"Take this, dairy cow!" Yukari waved her wand, causing a giant washtub to collide with her captor's head, ground them both. Collapsing under the weight of the older girl, the witch found herself gasping for air beneath a pair of giant breasts. "Mmmmppphhh... Gerroff!" she screamed, waved her arms frantically.

"Get out of there, you little brat!" The succubus blushed profusely as she pried herself free.

Tsukune couldn't help but feel slightly embarrassed by their antics, but it was nothing compared to what he had seen in the past few years. Moka stepped forward to separate the two, but the group's attention was quickly stolen away by a loud slam. The door fell off its hinges and collided with the tile floor, revealing the familiar face of Gin's Morioka's best friend. Haiji Miyamoto lowered his foot and entered the room, only to be greeted by a flying desk thrown by the Newspaper Club's youngest vampire.

"What the Hell do you want, loli freak!?" Kokoa scowled irritably, none too pleased by the presence of her least favorite ally.

The Tengu blushed as his eyes settled onto the orange-haired girl. "C'mon, do you really think I'm that depraved?" he began bashfully, only to receive a heavy textbook to the face. Despite the rather violent reactions from his favorite student, the blow seemed to have brought him back to his senses. "Oops! Sorry about that. Ruby sent me down here to collect you guys."

"What does she need? Did something bad happen?" Kurumu blurted out, her previous bickering with the others all but forgotten.

The others all stood up, but the karate expert shook his head. "Not everyone..." he pointed to the Shinso couple. "Just you two!"

"Of course..." Tsukune exhaled, not surprised in the least that he was being called out again.

Moka glanced over at her boyfriend with a confused expression before facing their unwanted guest. "Care to explain why, or do we have to guess?"

"They told me not to say anything... I was just ordered to bring you guys to the Headmaster's office. Normally I would take care of the problems on campus alone, but bishie-boy's sister told me she'd saw my ass in half if I came back without ya!"

The younger Huang sibling took a moment to realize he was being labeled before expressing his annoyance. Although the context was more important to him now. "Wait! Ling-Ling sent you!?"

"Yup! She even had me bring along some babysitters to make sure no one stepped out of line." Haiji moved aside to reveal four Jiang Shi that had accompanied him as escorts. "So, you guys coming, or not?"

Moka paused for a moment with a rational sense of calm. "It must be something important if this joker was forced to fetch both of us." She noticed the bird man's insulted look, but continued speaking as if she had not. "So, shall we?"

Don't see how we have much of a choice." he replied with a spark of humor, knowing full well that either of them could probably demolish the zombies if they really wanted to.

The Shinso couple walked side-by-side in between two-person rows of Jiang Shi with Haiji leading the march. Being all too familiar with their destination, Tsukune felt much more at ease than most students who were called to the Chairman's study, especially since he was more or less part of the school administration as opposed to an ordinary student who would be receiving severe disciplinary actions. Since Mikogami had rarely spoken to any of his students in the past, it was rare for anyone to be granted an audience.

Upon arrival, the karate user opened the door for them to enter before following them in, leaving the guards behind as he locked the door. Ruby sat behind the desk with an uncharacteristically tense expression, leaving her friends at a loss for words. Haiji took a seat in a large armchair positioned against the wall, looking rather indifferent to the proceedings. While Tsukune was calmly wondering why they were called here, Moka's suspicion had regressed her into state of aloof behavior more like that of her old self, the pink tinges in her hair doing little to hide this more intense part of her personality.

Despite this, her next words were undoubtedly more indicative of her combined personalities. "You dragged us here in the middle of something very important... Now tell us what's going on!"

"I'm sure she was just getting to that." Tsukune placed a hand on her shoulder, causing his future wife to calm down significantly. The feeling of her muscles relaxing beneath his touch filled him with relief, allowing him to assess the situation for himself. "She's right, though... Haiji sounded like he was a little shaken, which was a rarity for him."

Ruby let out a long draft as if she had been holding her breath. "The reason I called you both here this afternoon is because the school is in the middle of a very dangerous situation. Likewise it's important that two of our strongest students be alerted of the dangers immediately." Her eyes settled on the male vampire. "As the future owner and administrator of this institution, it is a responsibility you will have to become accustomed to sooner or later."

"Just get on with it!" the Tengu interjected, earning a disapproving frown from the witch.

She folded her hands on the headmaster's desk, seemingly ignoring his outburst. "A few hours ago, Mr. Miyamoto's security team discovered the dead bodies of three students on the edge of the school campus. Each bore wounds from a bladed weapon, and the last victim was completely unrecognizable save for the identification provided by her student card which was found on her person after the incident."

Haiji folded his arms, his expression becoming grim. "Your buddy's dead sister seems to think that the culprit was some kind of assassin sent here from the outside world. It makes sense, considering the stuff she managed to figure out just from inspecting the bodies."

The male Shinso stepped forward aggressively at this. "Wait a minute!? I thought Master Shuzen said that the assassins would be coming for me!" The boy felt his hands cringe violently, his gaze wandering to the floor as if someone had punched him in the stomach. "Are you saying that this happened to innocent people because the killer was looking for me?"

"Of course not!" Ruby shot a rather irritated look at the insensitive bird man.

Seeing his building anxiety, the silver-haired woman sitting beside him grasped her boyfriend's shaking hand in her own, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You did nothing wrong, Tsukune. The one who preyed upon those unfortunate students is the true source of this evil." She then turned to Haiji with a most discerning look. "Perhaps you would care to enlighten us. Tell me, how did Chief Huang reach such a conclusion?"

"There were a lot of details I didn't care much to listen to, but she had her reasons." he added, looking as though he were anxious for the meeting to end.

Tsukune noticed the Tengu's increasing restlessness, having already sensed his senpai's desire to catch the culprit personally. Rethinking the circumstances again, he remembered the numerous bounty posters he had seen before. "It's not like people working for Fairy Tail wouldn't recognize my face... Why would someone attack randomly like that."

"Perhaps it wasn't an outsider, then." Moka spoke up, thinking back with disgust to her first on-campus fight with the brutish Saizou. "Students on the campus are known to settle disagreements in a rather unruly manner. Even some staff members have done so in the past."

Haiji noticed the similarities to his conversation with Ling-Ling earlier, prompting him to turn to the interim headmistress to hurry along the briefing. "Just show it to 'em, already."

Realizing the urgency of their situation, the older witch unraveled the cloth on her desk, revealing the silver bracelet they had discovered near the scene of attack. When no one spoke up, she decided to address the issue directly. "This piece of evidence found nearby is proof that the attacker could not have been someone from this school."

"Why is that?" Tsukune reached down to touch it, only to feel a violent burning sensation course through his hand. He recoiled quickly, looking taken aback by the jolt of immense pain. "Ouch! I wasn't expecting that!"

Moka took a look at the burn on his hand, her eyes narrowing as they settled on the metallic object sitting on Ruby's desk. "The only kind of power capable of harming a vampire like that comes from holy magic... That bracelet is of divine origin!"

Her boyfriend glanced over at the object, this time with a critical eye. "What do you mean?"

Ruby gently picked up the object using the cloth before placing it into a metallic box she had taken from Mikogami's magic stores. It would contain the energies within, eventually dispelling the divine blessing so they could properly dispose of the nuisance. The witch looked up at her guests and exhaled deeply. "She means it was forged by the disciples of God..."

"You mean the Church!?" Tsukune blinked, only now realizing that no one within the monster world had ever spoken about such things until this point.

Moka seemed to sense his surprise, and chose to explain herself. "In medieval times, beings such as monsters were originally persecuted by those who followed the beliefs of the Christian God. These humans believed that we were unholy creatures who would eventually rise up and attack them, and to this end, weapons imbued with holy power were utilized to slay us."

"You mean it's all real!?" Tsukune muttered, looking slightly confused. Despite having been immersed in supernatural events these past years, he had never given the idea of a higher power all that much thought. "All that stuff about God is true?"

His girlfriend prodded him on the head. "Don't ask me, I'm a vampire... Though I believe every major belief system in this world has a source, whether it be Earthly or something stronger."

"Mikogami once told me that Alucard's desire to destroy humanity emerged when his peaceful kingdom of monsters was laid waste by humans under the banner of the Church." The temporary headmistress explained somberly. "You have already seen the strength of the First Ancestor with your own eyes. Mere humans could never have accomplished this without support from a higher power, no matter how large their numbers."

Haiji opened an eye at this, revealing that the bull-headed karate master had been listening the entire time. "Wait, are you saying the entire church is the enemy!?"

"Not likely..." a hoarse voice replied from the shadows, causing everyone to glance around for the source. Most of them recognized the tone all too well, and were relatively unsurprised to see the Bus Driver leaned against the half-open door. "Good day to you, Miss Toujou."

"You as well, Lord Nurari." Ruby replied, bowing her head in respect.

The mysterious Youkai slowly navigated his way through the room, scheming eyes hidden by the brim of his hat. Upon reaching the vampire couple, he extended a hand to the boy, causing Tsukune to hesitate before accepting the gesture. "Has Issa been training you well?"

"I've still got a few minor aches and pains from our morning session, but he says I'm doing better than before."

"Good... Very good... ..." Nurari responded, earning an uneasy smile from his young benefactor.

Being the less intimidated of the two, Moka was more forward than her companions. "I have to say, I was surprised when my father told me who you really were." she knew he preferred not to speak of this, but the man couldn't help but grin at her audacity. "To think, the ancient King of the Ayashi spends his time driving a school bus and smoking cigars."

"I see you take after your father, Miss Akashiya." he added in turn, letting out a hoarse chuckle that used to creep her out. "Though, I take your words as a great compliment."

"As do I, yours." she answered in a similar tone, watching as he approached the desk.

When he said nothing to further his previous thought, Ruby instinctively found herself pressing the issue, albeit with a nervous twitch in her left eye. "May I ask why you disagree?"

"The answer to that is simple..." The Bus Driver turned slightly so that he was facing the entire group. He took a moment to adjust his cufflinks, the silence maddening for the others. Despite that, he seemed to be rather enjoying himself. "The Archangel Michael is an old acquaintance of mine from way back. I know for a fact that a saint like him would never provoke an attack on the innocent, no matter what race or belief."

Tsukune seemed to choke on his tongue at this, having been hit with another surprise. "You actually know an angel!?"

"Not just any angel... The Commander-in-Chief of Heaven." Nurari replied nonchalantly, his words even causing the stoic Moka to shift uneasily. "When you've lived as long as I have, there's few important people you don't know."

"How come no one here ever mentioned the existence of angels?" the brown-haired boy asked.

Moka clicked her heels against the tile floor. "The same reasons most humans don't have much to say about ancient history. The old conflicts between Angels, Devils, Humans, Ayashi, Dragons, and Deities are a thing of the far-off past. After the wars ended, the supernatural worlds became estranged from human society."

"Not to mention we haven't had any formal contact with them for years." the Bus Driver added with a shrug. "There's an unspoken truce between most groups not to tamper with the affairs of the others, made easier by the fact that monsters freely roam the Earth, while most other factions have their own realms."

"Our reactions with humans and a desire to avoid revealing our existences is one of the few things that bid the supernatural worlds together." the female vampire explained.

"Hence the creation of the Great Barrier and other means of concealment created to hide. Even witches who could pass themselves off as ordinary humans we were often treated as outcasts." Ruby leaned over, poking him in the forehead with a finger. "You should've learned about all this in monster history class, Tsukune!"

The boy wracked his brain for a moment, inwardly slapping himself as the gears began turning in his head. "I guess with all that stuff that happened last year, I missed more class than I thought."

"And it seems you didn't pay much attention when you were there." Ruby lifted a folder from her desk, showing the room his records. "Seems like history was one of your worst subjects."

"I'm sure you could blame distraction, seeing how all four of us sat next to you that semester." Moka added.

Haiji stood up, having lost whatever patience he had left. "While we'd love to hear more about your boyfriend, some of us would rather be stomping the kidneys out of the guy who hurt those kids."

"Quite right!" Ruby looked as if she had suddenly been doused with cold water, having been shamefully caught up in the history lesson like the others. "Lord Nurari... I assume you are up to speed on the situation."

The Bus Driver nodded in agreement, two eerie glowing eyes peeking out from underneath his hat. "That Huang girl and her zombies found me when I reached the borders, so I know the basics." Seeing her expectant stare, he reluctantly decided to help them out this time. "Holy weapons like the one you discovered aren't only used by Heaven's followers, but also those who have fallen from grace. The wicked are equally capable of wielding them, so long as they still possess a divine aura."

"That could explain why the attacker mutilated those victims so thoroughly." Haiji shoved his fist through the wall.

The temporary headmistress frowned. "Must you always be so bull-headed, Mr. Miyamoto?"

"I know for a fact that some of these self-righteous fallen ones are just as evil as Fairy Tale." the former monster king explained without acknowledging the disruption, his expression becoming inscrutable. "You may want to hurry the verdict along. Even with the Jiang Shi looking for the perpetrator, we could still be in for another blood bath before this day's over."

Ruby's grip tightened around her wand, her own patience wavering. "You're right!" she shook her head, having never understood the responsibility of her current position more clearly than this very moment. "Haiji, tell Ling-Ling to rally the troops and transport all students back to their designated dormitories. Divide the forces into two parties: You party are tasked with leading the search while her denomination will protect our students."

"Bout time!" he declared loudly, transforming and crashing through the back window of the office in a flurry of feathers. The remaining residents shielded their eyes, the vampire's muttering their disapproval as a gust of wind from the opening chilled them to the core.

"The kid's got guts, if nothing else. Too bad he had to make a mess." Nurari muttered with an amused smirk.

The witch turned to her friends. "I would like to request that you both join the efforts in keeping the residents under control as they proceed back to their dorms. When the announcement is made over the intercom, there may be violence triggered by fear."

"I'll do what I can!" Tsukune nodded resolutely, giving her a playful salute.

"Before I agree do anything, perhaps you could tell me one thing I would like to know."

Ruby returned to her seat behind the desk before addressing the request with a formal nod. "What would that be, Miss Akashiya?"

To her surprise, the vampire suddenly looked concerned rather than demanding. "Where is my father in the midst of all this chaos?"

"Master Shuzen is currently out on important business per the request of Lord Nurari. I regret to see we have no other information on the subject."

"Maybe the source would care to explain?" Moka turned around accusingly, only to find the Bus Driver had left in the confusion. "Well that figures."

Tsukune stepped into her line of sight, his expression serious as ever. "Never mind him... We've got a job to do!"

"Right!" she nodded sternly, the couple leaving the office behind with their hands laced as one.

Ruby watched them leave without another word, the tiniest bit of her wishing that she had been the one heading off into battle while holding the hand of the man she loved. Instead, it was Moka who always stood by his side. She was more accepting of it than the others, having had come to an understanding during a conversation with Mizore the previous year. What really bothered her now was the idea of sitting in an office while her friends were on the front lines. Another side-effect of being in charge was never placing herself in immediate danger unless forced to. She waited another minute or so before pressing the button on her desk, activating the PA system.

"Attention students and staff of Youkai Academy... We have a code red emergency... ... I repeat, a code red emergency!" she announced, her words causing the all daily routine to come to an abrupt standstill. "Those of you wandering campus, calmly return to your assigned dormitories immediately and do not leave until further notice! All staff members convene in the teacher's lounge; security personnel will be present to explain the situation!"

Outside of the school, several students quickened their pace to return to their living quarters, some confused by the sudden warning, while the more rebellious ones were more irritated that no more information was given. While several were more determined to find out the source of the problem, they were quickly seized by Jiang Shi and taken in by force. Ruby watched this from the window of the headmaster's study for a moment before closing the windows once more, gently collapsing in her seat with a worried sigh.

Several Minutes Later...

As the chaos grew, a familiar quartet of students found themselves hiding behind a bush, watching curiously as school personnel herded students back into their living quarters. While most of their classmates seemed highly concerned by the sudden announcement, they were so accustomed to situations like this that it seemed almost laughable in comparison. Facing off against the Division Leaders of Fairy Tale had numbed them to such fears.

"Ouch! Stop using me as a stool!" Yukari whined, cringing as the larger girl's knee pressed into her spine.

Kurumu peaked over the top of the bush, ignoring her friend's protect as she kneeled harder still. "I should have know something like this was about to happen, with Moka and my Tsukune being called out by the administration!"

The watched intently as a pair of Ling-Ling's zombie henchmen grabbed a delinquent student by the arms and dragged him back towards the dormitories. Several other students could be seen proceeding in that direction to, under the watchful eye of the security forces, who lined the path to the residential area in an attempt to keep order. Anyone who proceeded too slowly was hurried along by the zombie police. Tsukune's friends panicked slightly as the roving guards began searching for stragglers, only breathing once they had passed onto the next area.

Mizore pushed her succubus friend down from behind so that she could see. "Those Jiang Shi seemed pretty intent on getting us to go home. Must be something serious..."

"If you two morons keep talking so loudly, they'll find us!" the witch lost her patience, pushing past the other two with as much force as she could muster. "I'm still wondering why they didn't call for us, too." She picked a branch out of her hair only to be interrupted by a muffled groan from the man they were all sitting on top of.

The youngest Huang sibling had never imagined behind trapped underneath three beautiful girls would be so painful before being used as a sprawled out cushion. "Why did I have to be the one on the bottom?" he wheezed, earning an apologetic look from his friends. "You're crushing me!"

"Oops, sorry about that." Mizore scooted over, the others two following her lead.

The succubus absent-mindedly placed a finger to her lower lip. "You know? Come to think of it, I kinda forget he was even there."

"You know, I did too!" Yukari chimed in happily, causing their male friend to turn humorously pale at her their callousness.

Fang-Fang slumped with tears in his eyes, blue worry lines covering the upper half of his face. "I'm not that useless, am I?" he protested, only to collapse when none of the girls bothered to comfort him. "My only real friend is Tsukune!"

"Save it for later, you big baby." the blue-haired temptress prodded him, earning murmurs of agreement from the other two. She peaked out of the large bush a third time, looking back and forth carefully before stepping out. "Looks like the security team finished chasing off the students in this area. I guess we can get out of this bush."

The plant rustled violently as the others jumped into the open, Mizore half-dragging a depressed Fang-Fang. "It sucks that our friends left us out of this." the ice-user drawled, her furrowed brow at odds with her soft monotone.

"I don't know about that... You're making it sound pretty harsh." the youngest of the group shrugged innocently. "Maybe they had their reasons?"

Kurumu took the lead of the group as they began marching in no particular direction, her stride stiff and irate. "Gimme a break, Yukari! We helped them save the world last year, and yet they're lumping us in with the rest of these panicking brats. How insulting is that!?"

The Huang heir appeared fully recovered, now walking on his own two legs. "You know, maybe they're just worried about putting us in danger? Needless to say, none of us would be alive if it hadn't been for Tsukune and Moka."

"Not to mention the Three Dark Lords were really the ones that saved the day." Yukari added, her brief expression of agreement earning a cold scowl from their blue-haired friend.

"It just annoys me that they think we need to be protected." Kurumu's mannerisms changed suddenly, now matching those of a wounded animal. She grasped her heart with a hurt look, taking a moment to compose herself before turning back to the others. "I mean, don't they even need us, anymore?"

Her gentle words resonated with the others, who were soon wearing similar expressions of betrayal and rejection. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, their monster abilities would never match those of the Shinso power shared by Tsukune and Moka. The two vampires seemed like the perfect match now more than ever, not only in terms of power, but also the very nature of their existences. The girls had always known this, but it still felt horrible to hear it being said out loud by the person who seemed like the most dedicated and persistent of them all.

The circle of friends were pulled from their depressing reverie as a bladed weapon sliced through Mizore's pale stomach, her eyes widening with shock as the lollipop slid from her mouth. The scene froze as she recoiled violently, each of her friends wearing looks of horror as the snow woman's body fell aside to reveal an unfamiliar figure garbed in black. The man withdrew his weapon with a sickening expression, licking the blood from the side of the blade with a sadistic grin more chilling than anything they had seen before.

"It's not good for little girls to stay outside in the middle of an emergency." he greeted a little too cheerfully.

Their attacker was roughly Tsukune's height with shoulder-length white hair forming curtains on both sides to reveal his face, his beady red eyes alive with madness as a look of utter thrill and elation tugged at the corners of his mouth. Her wore a black jacket with a gold trim and high collar, the front open to reveal pure white dress garments matching his pale complexion. Despite his rather unbalanced mannerisms, the man appeared clean and well-dressed, his clothes being unusually clean and free of blood.

"Mizore!" Yukari screamed hysterically, running forward to help her friend.

The assailant anticipated this, pulling his hand out of his jacket to reveal a gun. "Not so fast, kid!" he screamed, firing several bullets in her direction.

Kurumu sprouted wings, tackling the young witch with enough force to push her out of the line of fire, only to receive a bullet in the leg. She screamed in pain, but managed to stay airborne while maneuvering around the incoming projectiles. Even among her kind, the blue-haired temptress was fast in the air, having trained rigorously for so long to surpass Moka during the previous year that she had pushed herself further than any of her friends had expected was possible for a fledgling ayashi.

"You monster!" She hissed through grit teeth, her glare only bringing a hysteric smile to the enemy's face.

"No no no! Unlike you ugly bitches I'm 100% human, albeit a very exceptional one at that!" he wagged his finger mockingly, taking a second to reload his revolver before getting it kicked out of his hand. He recoiled his arm with a violent scowl. "No fair attacking from behind! You could have damaged my precious fingers, and it would've been all your fault for ruining something so important with your filthy monster feet!"

Fang-Fang caught up to the killer with a burst of speed, delivering a series of quick jabbing movements. "This is what you get for letting your guard down!"

The man dodged the first few strikes with ease before realizing that each consecutive strike was coming faster that the previous one. After a second longer, he was pushed back by a blow to the stomach, the sensation of pain sinking in as the Chinese martial artist struck a pair of pressure points and finished the combo with a kick to the face. Fang-Fang lowered his foot as he watched the man fly through the air only to collide violently with the dirt moments later. The man proved surprising agile, having righted himself in mid-air so that he would land safely on his feet. He cringed slightly while skidding to a halt, his ankles buckling dangerous under the force of his landing.

"What... the... ... HELL!" the assassin screamed wildly, a trickle of blood landing on his hand from the cut on his face. "You ruined my beautiful face, you disgusting three-eyed freak!"

The Yasha just now realized that his true nature had been revealed in the clash, but was more worried about what had happened to his friends. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed that Yukari was tending to Mizore's wounds, the latter of whom was lying passed out beside her. Kurumu looked positively livid as she stepped past her friends, her wings and tail visible as she joined Fang-Fang on the front lines. He felt her killing intent and stepped aside fearfully, having rarely seen such fury from the Newspaper Club's girls.

"Well, it looks like chesty wants a piece of me now." the man announced with a mocking bow, reaching into his jacket to produce a European-style long sword. "Don't worry! I'll make sure to give those exploding titties a good feel before slicing them into bits!"

"You sick bastard! Think you can go around butchering innocent people like animals!?" Her form seemed to grow with her anger, the succubus's monster aura flashing as the landscape around her began to warp. She snapped her wrists like an angry crow flexing its talons, her knife-like claws quickly sliding into place. "I'll kill you... ... ..." she seethed, her eyes blazing with pure rage. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Kurumu darted around wildly, causing the world around her to blur as she reduced a nearby tree to logs. Her opponent looked mildly impressed by the display as he sidestepped the falling trunk, using his weapon to parry her raking claws as she moved within striking distance. He thrust the end of the blade beneath her guard, but the blue-haired succubus seemingly disappeared as she shot into the sky, dive bombing him from the opposite direction with a quick flying slash. To her surprise, the assassin blocked her nails with the side of his blade, the cringe-worthy sound of grinding metal filling her ears.

"Been a while since someone's gotten the best of Freed Sellzen!" the man cackled boisterously, his long tongue hanging out of his mouth in an inappropriate manner.

"I won't let you get away with this!" she screamed in his face, quickly lashing out from the side with her remaining claw.

The psychotic killer slid a dagger into his hand from the cuff of his sleeve, using it to block her second claw. "Nice one, but now it's my turn!" he declared in a sing-song voice that made her stomach lurch.

Both fighters were seemingly remained deadlocked for a moment before the assassin's blade's began to glow a bright gold color, a similar expression appearing on Kurumu's face as the two blades sliced through her large nails, forming an x-shaped slash which sliced through her clothing, leaving two long diagonal slashes across the front of her now-exposed body. Her body fell in a graceful arch towards the hard dirt ground, only to be cushioned by a wall of expanding ice which grew rapidly as if to devour the attacker. The man named Freed jumped back to avoid getting caught, looking up to see that his first target was sitting up, her hand extended to attack even though she was barely conscious.

"Two down, two to go!"

Fang-Fang kicked the ice to free the succubus, taking her injured form in his arm before jumping to safety. "Don't worry, I've got you!"

"Thanks..." she replied weakly, a sharp intake of breath telling them that she was done fighting for the moment.

"Uh..." Mizore groaned, falling back into the young witch's arms. She had exerted what little strength she had remaining to save her friend's life.

The Huang Family's heir placed his friend next to the snow woman, rolling up his sleeves while refusing to take his eyes off the enemy. "How are they doing?" he said out of the corner of his mouth, no even bothering to look back.

Yukari gave her wand a few miserable shakes and broke down, tears silently streaming down her face. "I can bandage their injuries, but for some reason my healing magic's not working like it usually does."

"Well of course it won't..." Their attacker bore down on them, waving his head back in forth as if he were moving it to the rhythm of a children's song. Seeing their looks of horror, he decided to rub salt into the wounds. "I was a top exorcist back in the day... My weapons are holy relics! Did you honestly think impure creatures like yourselves could possibly violate the divine will with your petty magic!"

The genius witch looked suddenly more frightened than sad, although both emotions soon turned to anger. "That man is a rogue priest!"

"A servant of the Church!?" Fang-Fang reiterated, his body tensing up.

"You might say I used to be, but it's more accurate to say I never was!" Freed Sellzen threw both arms in the air like a madman, the afternoon sun on his face looking oddly sinister. "I never killed on behalf of God or that bastard Saint Michael. I do it because it's fuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnn!"

"These religious freaks... ... ... It was people like him that persecuted my people." Yukari found herself remembering the stories her mother had told to her when she was younger.

The rogue exorcist anticipated her discomfort and quickly preyed upon it. "Looks like we have a little witch in our midst." He put on a false look of understanding. "You poor little thing... Rejected by God and hated by the monster world. Don't worry, I'll send you to join your ancestors soon enough!

Fang-Fang stood protectively in front of her as the opponent charged, looking shocked when another shape seemed to collide with the insane priest, sending him crashing hard into one of the many tombstones littered around Youkai Academy Campus. Tsukune took a moment to remove the ring on his finger, revealing his true appearance and red eyes. The male Shinso casually wiped the sweat from his forehead before turning to face the others, his casual smile wavering as he realized the true severity of the situation.

"Damn, I arrived too late." he cursed himself, the sight of his injured companions resonating deep within his soul. He turned to face the man he had just struck, who was still trying to stand in the wake of his unexpected body slam. "I'm gonna assume you're the jerk who's been hurting innocent students on campus?"

"You're telling me a campus of horrific monsters disguised as humans is innocent. Compared to them, I'm practically a saint!"

The new vampire sniffed the air with his enhanced senses, his red slit eyes widening slightly in surprise. "So it is true... You are a human."

"That's right, kiddo! I've only been cleansing the Earth of its impurities. If God were still around, he'd probably thank me on bended knee." Freed announced, his composure slipping as he grasped his injured chest in pain. Despite this brief show of vulnerability, the madman suddenly looked as though he had just remembering something very important. "Hey kid! Would your name happen to be Tsukune Aono?"

"Yeah..." the young man took a step towards his opponent, fangs bared in anger.

"Oh good!" Freed pulled a wanted poster out with the boy's face printed on it. " Lucky me, to think my target would just happen to reveal himself just when those whores were starting to bore me to death."

"Fairy Tale sent you, didn't they!?" Tsukune swung his arm outwards, forcing the man to dodge the swing.

"I'm really not at liberty to say anything else." With a quick motion, the assassin sheathed both of his current weapons, withdrawing two curved dual swords from his jacket. "I hope you don't mind if I make this quick. There's so many sexy monster bitches in this school that I'm dying to kill, and you don't look nearly as fun!"

"You've done enough damage for today." a female voice rang out, closely followed by the arrival of Moka Akashiya. She ignored the intruder and turned to face her boyfriend. "I'll go out on a limb and say this is the guy we're looking for?"

"More playmates are here, and this one's a lot nicer than the others I sliced apart."

Tsukune took a step to the left to shield her in case the enemy charged, but the silver-haired beauty seemed uninterested in him for the moment. She instead turned to Fang-Fang and Yukari, both of which were having trouble keeping their injured friends alive. Behind them, the clash between vampire and exorcist had began in force, but Tsukune was predictably faster and stronger than the opponent, forcing their enemy onto the defensive immediately. Having much more stamina than more other creatures, vampires could literally keep going forever so long as they managed to avoid taking major injuries.

"Aren't you going to help Tsukune?" Yukari questioned worriedly.

Moka took a moment to watch the one-sided battle before smiling. "He's doing just fine. It's you guys I'm worried about, right now." she reached down, pulling Kurumu's body onto her back. "Fang-Fang... Grab Mizore and follow me to the headmaster's office. Ruby might have something that can overcome the affects of that priest's holy swords."

"Right!" the Yasha sunk to one knee before pulling the injured snow-woman onto his back.

The genius witch was reluctant to let her friends leave her care, but quickly decided that her older counterpart was more likely to know what to do in this situation. "What about me?" she asked the elder vampire.

"Stay here and keep an eye on Tsukune. If anything happens to him, I'm confident you can handle it."

Despite having overcome some of her less flattering habits, Yukari felt somewhat touched that Moka had the confidence to entrust Tsukune to her. "I won't let you down!"

Tsukune watched the others head to safety, his moment of distraction allowing his opponent to slash away at his face. Using some of the steps he learned from Issa in their lessons, he managed to dodge by gently bouncing his feet, centering his gravity as he shunted backwards. He leaned back as the blade came inches from slicing into his face maneuvering around the insane exorcist, only to cringe in pain as he felt a small cut right beneath his eye. He had received must worse in sparring matches with Moka's father, but what unnerved him the most is that the wound did not immediately heal.

"Even with that wretched Shinso blood, you'll find my holy sword still packs a nasty sting. It's a real 'screw you' to all of those ayashi and devils that defy me!"

The human-turned-vampire regained his previous stance, acknowledging that it had been his fault for allowing the opponent to come so close. The fight would have been over if he hadn't been worried about being touched by the priest's holy weapons, and his opponent had capitalized on this by keeping him at bay with wild swordplay and unpredictable movements. Feeling the intensifying pain in his face, it would appear he had made a wise choice. After a moment, the pain subsided somewhat, although his cut still bled profusely. Truthfully he had never fought a human before, and was trying to avoid killing this one.

Freed opened his mouth to jeer once more only to realize the boy had taken on the offensive again. "There you go, getting angry over what happened to those two whores!"

"Take that back!" Tsukune demanded, his anger causing him to receive a cut on the arm.

This only further incensed the mad exorcist. "See what I mean... Vampire or not, you're nothing but a little lovesick bitch who follows his dick right into the lion's den!" He laughed before whipping a glass vial at his opponent.

While the young vampire was uncertain what to think, the flask contained what appeared to be pure water, a substance most harmful to vampires. Nevertheless, he had learned that the active Shinso blood made him largely resistant to that particular vampire weakness. However, the resulting pain that followed was of an intensity that made him question the reliability of his own experiences. Tsukune felt a horrible burning sensation as the vial shattered, drenching his face with what felt like corrosive acid. His body released a burst of monster energy that seared the places where the liquid touched, his face now red and smoking with horrible pain.

"Being touched by Holy Water is like jumping into a tank of burning oil to a vampire." Freed kicked the boy in the stomach as he crouched in agony, raising his swords to deliver a finishing blow. "It's sad someone tough as you was too afraid to go in for the kill. If ya had, I might've been dead by now!"

The insane priest prepared to bring down his blades, but found himself completely covered by a large swarm of angry bees, all of which were rapidly stinging every inch of his body they could reach. He screeched in pain, letting loose a string of expletives before releasing a blast of burning light from his blades, the insect that plagued him falling out of the air as if they had been suddenly doused with a lethal poison. A second later, large spiders began emerging from the ground at his feet, their venomous fangs sinking into his ankles. He cursed glancing around wildly, the man's eyes settling on a certain genius.

"Forgot about me, huh stupid?" Yukari Sendo pulled her eyelid down in a childlike manner, sticking her tongue out. "Maybe you brought the stuff to fight a vampire, but it looks like you weren't prepared to fight a witch!"

"You rotten little cock-sucker, I'll kill you first!" Freed whipped out a dagger from his coat and tossed it at her full force, looking morbid.

The little witch raised her wand in a futile attempt to stop the knife, but her efforts proved unnecessary. A torrent of wind filled the area, changing the trajectory of the weapon so that it landed several meters to her right.

"Don't even think about it, douche bag!" Haiji Miyamoto descended on the scene, having saved Yukari with one of his powerful wind storms. He landed beside the young witch, several bird-like features retracting into his human body as he returned to his original form. "No one hurts my kids while I'm around."

"You wanna die too, bird man!?" the exorcist braced himself as his jacket billowed in the wind, raising his swords menacingly.

For once, the karate master dismissed the idea, despite having wanted nothing more than to do so since he heard about the intruder. "I was hoping to be the one to kick your ass, but I arrived a little late... Looks like this one's ought of my hands."

"What do you..." Freed Sellzen began, the words getting caught in his throat as a certain vampire appeared in front of him. Tsukune had taken his friends' distraction as cue to incapacitate the madman by seizing his arms. Due to the immense strength of the vampire, he had no way to break free. "You little shit stain! How did you recover so quickly."

"The Shinso blood helped repair the damage, even if it still hurts like Hell to move!" the young vampire grit his teeth in anger before tightening his grip around the other man's wrists.

He dropped both swords, the weapons falling uselessly to the ground. "Fuck you, kid!"

"You are done here!" Tsukune shouted, wrenching the man's arms apart and thrust his head forward with excessive force, head butting the captive madman with as much strength as he could muster.

"Argh, you bastard!" Freed fell backwards on the ground, his eyes rolling back into his head as his body grew limp and crumpled beneath the attack, hitting the ground with a loud thud.

When the man did not rise again, Yukari ran over to Tsukune's side and wrapped her arms around him in a show of thanks, the older boy gradually returning the gesture. He had come close to losing the fight due to hesitation and a desire not to kill another human, but even as one of the strongest monsters in existence, he found himself thanking a friend for saving him once more. It was nostalgic, like they had come full circle after all this time. It was even clearer now than usual why the group ha stayed so close the past few years; They needed each other, and in a spot where one person might struggle, another would be able to cover that weakness.

"Looks like you did a number of this freak. That headbutt was legit!" Haiji walked over to the assassin's unconscious form, giving him a single kick to the groin to ensure that he was out of it before reaching down to arrest him.

"Don't touch him!" Yukari separated from her crush before pulling back the exorcist's long coat, revealing several blessed objects among the weapons they had already seen.

Tsukune wrapped them up, carefully setting them down. "Make sure he's not carrying anything else dangerous on him. These Church relics are like poison to us."

The Tengu looked annoyed that anyone would need so many gimmicks to fight, but understood the dangers they presented. Once Yukari had removed any potentially dangerous items from the man's prone form, Haiji placed a pair of thick steel shackles around his arms and legs, heaving the man over his shoulder like a sack of garbage. Upon noticing that his younger companions weren't following him, the bird man turned around to find them eying the relics they confiscated.

"I'll transport our buddy here to the security force's dungeon for safekeeping." he stated, looking suddenly unsure. "So, how do you plan on collecting the evidence?"

Uncertain himself, the male Shinso turned to his long-time friend. "Hey Yukari, can you safely handle the weapons without touching them?"

She wracked her mind for a moment, and a few waves of her wand later they had a solution. A large monster spider summoned by Yukari carried the evidence inside the large golden washtub she had strapped to its back, a few seals placed around the container preventing its contents from causing them any more trouble. While it looked rather ridiculous to the average bystander, it was probably the safest way for them to accomplish the task.

As they walked away from the scene, another figure watched from the shadows of the forest, his eyes narrowing in discontent. After watching for a moment longer, he vanished in a flash of fire, leaving behind nothing but ashes in his wake.

NOTE TO READERS: Sorry if you were waiting to see Issei and his group, but the focus on them will happen later when events on both fronts begin to lead the parties involved into the crossroads. Right now the trouble's just started brewing on Youkai Academy campus, but when things get out of hand, they will be forced to go to the front lines once again. Let's just say that Tsukune's next trip to the human world will be a very interesting one.

Still contemplating on whether or not to continue this, but it seems I have a sufficient amount of support this far. If you liked something or have any questions or comments, please **review**. It's true that fanfiction is a labor of love, but support helps immensely, especially since the muse seems to die down the longer I work on any story.


End file.
